• Posted on Wednesday, August 6, 2008

tool name

close
tool goes here

U.S.: Identity-theft ring stole 40 million credit card numbers

By Jennifer Lebvoich | Miami Herald

Laptop in hand, the men drove down U.S. 1 in Miami, stealing confidential debit and credit card numbers, prosecutors say.

It was part of what is believed to be the largest-ever breach of retail network security, reaching from South Florida to California to Eastern Europe.

Federal authorities have charged 11 men in the scheme — including three from Miami. One was a confidential informant for the U.S. Secret Service while he was allegedly bilking shoppers.

The suspects allegedly used computer software and wireless technology to suck 40 million card numbers from retailers including TJ Maxx, Marshalls, OfficeMax, DSW, Barnes and Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21, BJ's Wholesale Club and Boston Market.

They stored the stolen data on computers in Eastern Europe and sold some of the information to criminals, the feds allege. What they didn't sell, they loaded on blank ATM cards and used themselves.

A grand jury in Boston handed down the indictment Tuesday charging Albert ''Segvec'' Gonzalez of Miami with computer fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy, allegedly doing business from a base at a South Beach hotel. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if he is convicted of all the charges.

Two other Miami men, Christopher Scott and Damon Patrick Toey, were charged. The other defendants are from the Ukraine, China, Belarus and Estonia. A final defendant, known only as ''Delpiero,'' has not been located.

Read the full story at MiamiHerald.com.

  • del.icio.us
  • |
  • yahoo
  • |
  • Digg it

ECONOMY IN TURMOIL

economy in turmoil

Read McClatchy coverage of the economic pain Americans around the country are feeling, from Florida to California to Alaska.

ECONOMY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

hall & pugh

McClatchy correspondents Kevin G. Hall (left) and Tony Pugh are available to answer your questions about the economic meltdown at home and abroad, and what's in store for ordinary Americans.

Q&A: THE HOUSING CRISIS

Mark Zandi, the chief economist for Moody's Economy.com, is took questions from McClatchy readers about the nation's deep housing crisis. His book, "Financial Shock," offers a 360-degree look at what caused the crisis, what mistakes were made and who made them. It offers a way forward to prevent future crises.

Q&A: TERMINAL CHAOS

U.S. air travel these days is about as fun as a trip to the dentist. Departure delays are rampant, bags often miss the flight you've caught and rising jet fuel prices have major airlines charging to check a bag. In his new book "Terminal Chaos," George Donohue, a professor and former high-level Federal Aviation Administration official, explains why our system of air travel is broken and what can be done to fix it. Read the responses.

Q&A: THE THREE TRILLION DOLLAR WAR

For two weeks, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard professor Linda Bilmes, authors of "The Three Trillion Dollar War," fielded questions about the cost of the Iraq war and its impact on the U.S. economy. They're not taking new questions, but they're still posting answers to ones they've already received. Read their responses.