U.S. Charges 3 in Massive ID Fraud (LARGEST ID THEFT IN HISTORY)

ap via abc news ^ | 11/25/2002 | ap

[TLBSHOW]

U.S. Charges 3 in Massive ID Fraud

U.S. Charges 3 in Largest Identity-Theft Ring in American History; Info Taken From Over 30,000

N E W Y O R K, Nov. 25 — Federal authorities charged three men with orchestrating a massive identity-theft scheme in which credit information was stolen from more than 30,000 victims.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney James Comey said the arrests announced Monday mark the largest identity theft case in U.S. history, with initial losses pegged at $2.7 million and growing.

"With a few keystrokes, these men essentially picked the pockets of tens of thousands of Americans and, in the process, took their identities, stole their money and swiped their security," Comey said.

More than 15,000 credit reports were stolen using passwords belonging to Ford Motor Credit Corp. to access information from Experian, a commercial credit history bureau, officials said.

Authorities say the scheme began about three years ago when Philip Cummings, a help-desk worker at a computer software company, agreed to give an unidentified co-conspirator the passwords and codes for downloading consumer credit reports.

The FBI also charged Linus Baptiste and Hakeem Mohammed with roles in the far-flung fraud.

Cummings was paid roughly $30 for each report, and the information was then passed on to at least 20 individuals who then set out to make money from the stolen information.

Victims have reported losing money from their bank accounts, seeing their credit cards hit with unauthorized charges, and having their identities assumed by strangers.

Baptiste allegedly downloaded hundreds of credit reports with Cummings' access passwords. Mohammed has pleaded guilty to mail fraud for making changes to individual credit accounts.

[Cicero]

I'm glad I haven't bought a Ford recently. Yes, I have a sneaking suspicion that Mohammed may belong to a certain . . . profile.

[APBaer]

"With a few keystrokes, these men ... took their identities, ...and swiped their security"

So does this mean Poindexter has been charged again?

[Rodney King]

Happened to me in early 2001....Right when I bought a Ford.

[cmsgop]

Im sorry that happend to you man, That really Sucks.....

[thatsnotnice]

Authorities say the scheme began about three years ago when Philip Cummings, a help-desk worker at a computer software company, agreed to give an unidentified co-conspirator the passwords and codes for downloading consumer credit reports.

I wonder if that implies that the "passwords and codes" were good for a three year stretch. Almost everybody I know has to use the RSA SecurID number appended to their password(s) now. Which causes problems if you ever lose your "key"… but it prevents stuff like this.

[Xenalyte]

And Linus Baptiste? Haitian, unless I miss my guess. (Or perhaps coonass.) What that means, I have no idea.

[Gritty]

Is it time to bring back the public gallows?

[Catspaw]

Oh, boy, Rodney, I really feel for you. Identity theft is horrible and takes almost heroic efforts to clean up the mess the thieves leave behind on one's credit record.

[Myrnick]

Interesting. I recently had my first-ever unauthorized charges show up on American Express. They only attempted two buys before I caught them. One went through, one failed. They were buying wire crimping tools and cordless computer keyboards and having them shipped to Indonesia. Pretty weird.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Hakeem Mohammed

Religion of Peace Alert!

How much funneled down to Al Quaeda through "Religion of Peace" charities?

[Catspaw]

I had some unauthorized charges show up on a Mastercard about a year ago--a small charge (around $11) to an internet cafe in Moscow. Like in Russia (not Idaho). When I called the company, they said to call the place to have the charges removed. I asked if they happened to have the number for the internet cafe in Moscow, Russia, handy because it wasn't listed on the invoice....I heard a bunch of clicking & clacking & other keyboard sounds & then she said, "Never mind," and they took care of it. It was a big scam that skimmed millions of credit cards.

[tracer]

It would be ever so nifty if several of the consumers who were ripped off turned out to be members of organized crime families. Now that would be justice...

[Theo]

Because these people caused such life-traumatizing to so many people, their lives should be traumatized to the point of death. Just get rid of them. Give them time to repent and get right with their Creator. But then remove them. Their sin is no accident.

[George from New England]

"Happened to me in early 2001....Right when I bought a Ford."

If we didn't have divulge all our personal information to do business then most of this could be prevented. For instance...I REFUSE to give any telephone company (cell phone company) my social number, driver's license number, etc. So in the end I can't get these convienences but at the same time can we trust these companies with this peronsal info. I think not.

Sorry this happened to you, but too many American's willing give up this info and look where it's gettting us!

[flamefront]

Oh but no one is supposed to PROFILE.

Can't be racially insensitive, now can we?

Hakeem Mohammed, oh, just another regular citizen, eh?