How Deep Does Identity Theft Go?

A Nigerian, or maybe an Afghan was recently arrested in New York City for identity theft. He had identification stating he was from both Nigeria and Afghanistan. When he was arrested, he had notebooks filled with personal information, shopping bags full of credit card statements, stolen identification and eighty hotel keys.

Homeland Security has no record of him, but what name would they look under? He will likely be deported, but to what country can't be determined yet.

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?tl=1&display=rednews/2005/05/20/build/state/33-checkscam.inc

In this next story(click on above link), eleven members (nine illegal) of a Mexican gang based in California were arrested in a check fraud scheme. Images from digital cell phones were sent from several states across the country back to California to produce the fake identification. The story states that this is one "cell" of a major gang that has committed an estimated $50 million in check fraud.

The story fails to mention the name of the gang, but I've heard of a Mexican gang in California that has been doing this for years. At least, the method is the same where illegal aliens use fake identification to cash fraudulent payroll checks at banks and check cashing stores.

Recently, I wrote of a National ID bill that was passed along with more money for the troops in Iraq. This is going to be a "hot" issue and needs to be evaluated carefully due to the fact that many "privacy issues" will come into play. We need to evaluate this issue carefully in order to balance civil rights with protecting our security. In addition to this, we need to ensure that whatever we do is viable and effective. All too often, for every measure, the criminals come up with a countermeasure.

Perhaps in the end, the first article demonstrates that the penalties are far too light for these types of crimes. What scares me is that in both of these instances, an ordinary person can deduct that people involved in these crimes are highly organized.

Here is an earlier post on this:

http://fraudwar.blogspot.com/2005/05/id-laws-and-increased-border-control.html

Robin Hoods Against Internet Fraud

In the international fight against on line scams, there is an interesting site, "Artists Against 419"(click on title to view). Some believe they are responsible for the recent hacking of "phishing sites". Here are some other sites from around the world that attract people who try to fight internet fraud- The 419 Coalition, Scam-O-Rama, 419eater and 419Legal. Some of these sites promote "baiting" fraudsters into thinking they have a "dupe" on the line. Please engage in this at your own risk.

419, or Advance Fee scams mutate frequently and involve, check fraud, wire transfer fraud, credit card fraud, telecom fraud and of course identity theft

Here is a (List of fake lottery web sites). Lottery scams have become a prevalent form of internet fraud. Last, but not least (The Ebola Monkey Man) is a unusual "editorial" on these types of scams.

Heroes in the Identity Theft War

The news is calling them "vigilantes". Common folk might refer to them as heroes. With the majority of "Phishing" occuring from overseas, it seems sometimes like little is being done about it. "Phishing" is a newer form of on line fraud where a victim is enticed by fraud e-mail, or misdirection to a fraudulent site with the intention of stealing their personal information. When this happens, good people's financial means are ruined. Even if they aren't financially ruined, they face a mountain of red tape just to get their personal affairs back in order.

Because people are frustrated, phishing sites are being taken down by ordinary citizens. They are fighting this form of on line fraud by putting warnings on the sites. Many of the sites are being identified by the Netcraft Toolbar community. They offer a tool bar that detects "Phishing" for free at:
http://toolbar.netcraft.com/

Close Call for Check Fraud Informant

I read a pretty scary article today. An informant working undercover on a check fraud case for the postal authorities was assaulted when she went into a house in Indiana. Because she was wearing a wire(hidden microphone), police overheard the assault and the informant was rescued. When the house was searched a body bag and a shovel were found. This illustrates that some extremely dangerous criminals are involved in the fraud business.

The criminals involved in check fraud are normally always involved in identity theft. Here is an earlier post about the impact of identity theft.
http://fraudwar.blogspot.com/2005/04/identity-theft.html

This case was being investigated by the postal authorities. Here is another post about counterfeit postal money orders, prevalent today in lottery and auction scams. These scams normally relate to an advance fee (419) scam, where a victim is tricked into performing a wire transfer back to the criminal, who is normally somewhere overseas.
http://fraudwar.blogspot.com/2005/05/more-on-postal-money-order-scam.html