Fake identification center of huge illegal immigrant raid
595 people were arrested on Tuesday at a Mississippi plant on illegal immigration charges. According to Reuters, the investigation centered around identity theft issues and the use of fake social security cards by the laborers.
From Reuters:
U.S. immigration agents have arrested 595 people at a Mississippi factory in what was the largest workplace enforcement raid in [...]
German officials bought private data for 850 euros
Data protection officials in Germany easily bought bank account information and phone numbers from the open market.
From BBC News:
The officials say they were able to buy six million items of personal data on the internet, including bank account details and phone numbers.
The data cost just 850 euros (£671), the officials said.
Call centres and lottery firms [...]
7 online security tips to remember
CNN has a handy article reminding computer users of steps that should take in order to protect their identity.
Read the entire article here.
Los Angeles Gangs moving into Identity Theft
Criminal street gangs in Los Angeles are moving into Identity Theft as a revenue generating activity.
From the LA Times:
Identity theft is soaring in California, and street gangs are angling for a piece of the action.
Recent cases point to an interest in identity fraud by organizations as diverse as a Long Beach chapter of the Crips, [...]
Global Online Crime Ring traded in identities
The New York Times has an article on the online crime ring that had millions of credit card numbers.
Read the entire article here.
Computer passwords offer little security
Computer passwords offer little security to users from identity thieves.
From the New York Times:
I once felt ashamed about failing to follow best practices for password selection — but no more. Computer security experts say that choosing hard-to-guess passwords ultimately brings little security protection. Passwords won’t keep us safe from identity theft, no matter how clever [...]
Identity thieves using Twitter to steal data
A fake profile on Twitter was found to have been installing programs allowing it to steal data.
From BBC News:
A fake Twitter profile with a malicious payload has been spotted by security firm Kaspersky.
It purports to link to a pornographic video but downloads a fake version of Adobe Flash which installs programs capable of stealing data.
The [...]
Thieves who stole 40 million credit card numbers arrested
The United States Department of Justice announced today the arrest of 11 people who stole 40 million credit card numbers from various retailers.
From Reuters (via the New York Times):
The authorities said that the scheme was spearheaded by a Miami man named Albert Gonzalez, who hacked into the computer systems of retailers including TJX, BJ’s Wholesale [...]
Thieves using gas pump to steal credit information
ID thieves have begun stealing credit card information by placing devices on gas pumps to copy down the card’s information.
From USA Today:
The skimmed data are used to create cards used at the victims’ expense, says James Van Dyke, president and founder of Javelin Strategy and Research, a financial consulting firm that focuses on fraud and [...]
Blank British passports stolen
Black British passports were stolen by hijackers in Northern England.
From the AFP (via Yahoo News):
Hijackers made off with boxes of blank British passports worth a fortune on the black market in a raid on a delivery van, police said Tuesday, in the latest blow to the government’s record on security.
Detectives said the 24 boxes of [...]
