Australian
police have uncovered the country's biggest ever credit card data theft
and smashed a Romanian syndicate allegedly behind the scam.
An international investigation saw seven people charged in Romania
with stealing the details of about 30,000 credit cards and using the
information to buy goods around the world worth some Aus$30 million
(US$31 million).Police reported that the data was stolen by hacking into the computer systems of around 100 small Australian retailers.
It was then used to create false credit cards, enabling thousands of counterfeit transactions in numerous locations including Europe, Hong Kong and the United States.
The investigation was sparked when an Australian financial institution alerted police to suspicious credit card transactions and the probe grew to involve law enforcement agencies in 13 countries.
The scam culminated in 16 people being detained in raids on 26 properties across Romania on Wednesday, with seven charged.
Reports in Australia said that an international wrestling champion, Gheorghe "The Carpathian Bear" Ignat, was among those held but later released.
"This is the largest data breach investigation ever undertaken by Australian law enforcement," said Commander Glen McEwen, manager for Cyber Crime Operations at the Australian Federal Police.
"Without the cooperation of 13 other countries, along with Australia's banking and finance sector, we would not have been able to track these illegal transactions to the criminal network in Romania.
"Today's successful outcome is a culmination of 17 months of hard work with these partners."
Australian banks and credit unions have reimbursed customers for their losses.
More about the story
- Australia seizes $246 million of drugs from China
- Dead body, 200 kg of cocaine found on Tonga yacht
- M'sian cops bust African credit card phishing syndicate
- Another assault on Korean in Australia raises alarm
- Police probe French racism row in Australia
- 'Thuggish' Australian police blasted over Taser death
- Girl, seven, feared taken by crocodile in Australia
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น