New Trends in the Illegal Activities of Criminals Using Information and Communication Technologies in the Commission of Economic Crimes: a Look Through the Prism of the Organization of Operational Investigative Activities

The article analyzes the current trends in the development of economic crimes committed by malicious actors using information and communication technologies (hereinafter referred to as ICT). It examines the positive experience of using ICT in the public administration system of the Russian Federation, which serves as a basis for drawing scientific conclusions about the relationship between the processes of digitalization and changes in the criminal and operational situation in the economic sphere. The article explores the competencies of economic security and anticorruption units (hereinafter referred to as EBiPC) in countering these types of crimes and highlights the issue of delineating their departmental responsibilities in detecting crimes committed using ICT. The article analyzes new mechanisms for committing economic crimes, as well as the features of using ICT as a tool and means of illegal activity. Based on statistical analysis and questionnaires conducted among the heads of Economic Crime and Prevention Units of the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the article identifies key factors that have a negative impact on the operational situation caused by the dynamics of economic crimes committed using ICT. In conclusion, the article proposes directions for further scientific and applied research aimed at improving operational investigative activities (OIA) and increasing the effectiveness of countering economic crimes committed using ICT.