Europol takes down encrypted messaging system Ghost, used by international criminals; 51 arrested worldwide; had servers in Iceland and France; owners lived in Australia
San Diego: Six arrested, including owner of car rental company; provided cars for criminals from South America who visited the US to do burglaries, shoplifting, and steal credit and debit cards; group got at least $5 million
Countries sharing data to fight online fraud. That’s good thing. It would be great to share consumer complaints between countries to target fraudsters, and much data/evidence is held in the US and other countries. A new UN Convention seems aimed at such problem, but commentators warn about some serious risks for free expression and other rights.
Here are links to the studies I’ve written for the Better Business Bureau: puppy fraud, romance fraud; BEC fraud, sweepstakes/lottery fraud, tech support fraud, romance fraud money mules, crooked movers, government imposters, online vehicle sale scams, rental fraud, gift cards, free trial offer frauds, job scams, online shopping fraud, fake check fraud and crypto scams
Fraud News Around the world
US seizes 350 web sites used by Chinese to sell silencers and counterfeit gun parts into the US
New York: Man charged with tech support scam; apparently went to victim home to get money
Spain arrests 33 for internet crime, including romance scams that involved losses of at least €440,000
Italy: Police arrest nine in bust of ring that sold counterfeit retro video equipment worth € 50 million
Rhode Island: Two men (Romanians?) arrested for running huge shoplifting ring that took in $12.3 million
India: Assistant bank manager arrested for opening accounts for online frauds
New York: Woman from Peru gets two years prison for ring that snatched purses and wallets and then used the credit cards to buy electronics
Canada Border Protection seizes $2 million in meth that was in bottles labeled apple and grape juice
Canada: Toronto police arrest 12 for fraud using synthetic identities to get credit cards
Time Magazine on The Golden Age of Scams
Ireland: Police say teens being recruited on social media to become money mules
Humor
- Woman tells police God gave her permission to steal from Walmart
- UK police minister has her purse stolen while at conference for senior police officials
- Texas police arrest man who was selling stolen tires on Facebook Marketplace when they realize background of his photos was rear of local tire store
- CFPB sues Horizon over high fee credit cards that have limited use
- FTC sends $2.6 million in refunds to victims of online loan company
- FTC settlements resolve case against online free trial offer/subscription trap scheme that sold CBD and Keto products; FTC gets $40 million to refund
- FTC settles with online business opportunity scam that claimed to help victims start their own small business
- FTC sends $370,000 in refunds to victims of CafePress data security issues
- St. Louis: Two VA employees charged with PPP fraud; got $80,000
- Utah: Man gets probation for PPP fraud; must repay $324,000
- Atlanta: Former football player gets 16 months prison for PPP fraud; got $1 million
- Tacoma: Second Nigerian man, who had been living in Canada, pleads guilty to ID theft to steal unemployment benefits; had also used stolen IDs to get tax refunds
- Boston: Man indicted for PPP fraud; sought $18 million
- St. Louis: Woman gets a year prison for PPP fraud; got $55,800
- Tampa: Tourism company settles civil case over PPP fraud; repays $2.2 million
- Attack on the Port of Seattle, which decides not to pay
- Car rental company Avis has data breach; loses information on 299,000
- DOJ Inspector General issues new report and recommendations for addressing ransomware
- Data on 1 million people using NHS hacked in attack on London hospitals
- California: San Luis Obispo sheriffrecovers part of crypto that victim sent through Bitcoin ATM in grandparent fraud
- SEC sues five companies and three individuals for investment scam that sold fake crypto products
- Australia: Two get prison for ATM skimming
- Sheriffs office in Harris County, Texas, arrest man for ATM skimming
- Florida: Woman pleads guilty to laundering money from romance scam victims; handled $2.4 million
- India arrests man for romance fraud
- New Jersey: Man pleads guilty to laundering funds from romance scam victims; handled $4.7 million
- Former FTC Chicago attorney Sharon Feather dies
- Long time veteran FTC attorney Lesley Fair to retire
- Postal Inspector Brian Schellhase has retired