Fraudsters' bugs transmit credit card details to Pakistan[UK][WOT]

Times Online ^ | 12 Oct 2008 | David Leppard

[BGHater]

Thieves have planted new sophisticated bugs in supermarket card readers so customer details can be cloned

Detectives are investigating a sophisticated credit card fraud against customers of some of Britain’s biggest supermarkets that may be linked to extremists in Pakistan.

Fraudsters have targeted more than 40 stores in Britain, including those of Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, in an elaborate scam that police say involves tiny devices inserted into the stores’ “chip and Pin” credit card readers.

Specialists say the technology is the most advanced they have seen and is being used in supermarket chains across Europe.

The devices, which are reported to have been made in China, are reading and storing selected customers’ Mastercard and personal identification numbers as the cards are inserted into readers at supermarket checkout tills.

The bugs transmit the information by wireless technology to Lahore, Pakistan, according to a senior American counter-intelligence official.

Customers’ cards are then cloned and used to steal money from their credit and current accounts and to pay for items such as airline tickets on the internet.

A senior British police source said he was unable to confirm reports in America that as much as $100m had been siphoned out of customers’ accounts.

The fraud was revealed by Joel Brenner, the American government’s top counter-intelligence officer. He said: “Small but intelligent criminal organisations are pulling off transnational, multicontinental heists that only a foreign intelligence service would have been able to do a few years ago.”

The US National Security Agency, which monitors electronic communications worldwide, is said to be tracking the case because of its links to Pakistan, which has become a base for Al-Qaeda.

[fso301]

Anyone wonder from where Obama gets his mountains of anonymous cash?

[Star Traveler]

The article said — The fraud was revealed by Joel Brenner, the American government’s top counter-intelligence officer. He said: “Small but intelligent criminal organisations are pulling off transnational, multicontinental heists that only a foreign intelligence service would have been able to do a few years ago.”

That’s because it’s being promoted by the foreign intelligence services of these Muslim countries. They’re out to wreck the Western nations...

[ishabibble]

This happened in RI last year. The four guys were from CA.
I believe that it really is much more than identity theft.
Osama bin Laden wanted the WTC hit because it was a symbol of American economic power, and I look at the Wall St. crisis and wonder.

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid14_gci1257502,00.html

[weegee]

But I thought we had to stop buying oil to stop funding Islamic terrorists. Now we have to stop buying groceries too?

[weegee]

Fannie Mae was an inside job.

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

Osama bin Laden wanted the WTC hit because it was a symbol of American economic power, and I look at the Wall St. crisis and wonder.

You are not alone in that. I've had nagging doubts since the market went into free-fall. Between George Soros (the man who nearly broke the Bank of England) and the shadowy Saudis backing Obama one has to wonder if this 'kill shot' to our economy was the execution of someone's 'October Surprise'.

I could be wrong on all this but what if I'm right? I say this knowing that it leaves me wide open to charges of being the worst kind of conspiracy nut extant.

Regards,
GtG

[ApplegateRanch]

The devices, which are reported to have been made in China, are reading and storing selected customers’ Mastercard and personal identification numbers as the cards are inserted into readers at supermarket checkout tills.

Chip fraud: It isn't just to sell to U.S. military contractors any more.