An end of shift security check of a San Antonio, TX UPS driver led to the discovery of items intended for delivery to a jewelry store. According to the AP, the driver had apparently been stuffing the jewelry into his shoes instead of delivering it.
crime
Hackers Discover Data-Stealing ATM At Convention
By 8.4.09
Nobody knows yet whether it was planted by an attendee, or if the ATM had been there for some period of time before the event, but hackers at last week’s DefCon conference in Las Vegas discovered a rogue unit that was designed to capture customers’ credit card data with each use.
Mom Drags Kid Through Verizon Store On Leash
By 8.3.09
Dear kid of abusive mom: yes, this is what it feels like for us when we deal with cell phone retailers, too. At least your mom was arrested. Video below.
Genius Baggage Handlers Steal Retired Police Sergent's Handgun
By 7.31.09
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that several baggage handlers working for a company contracted by Delta Airlines were busted in a sting operation that was launched following the theft of a handgun from a retired police sergeant’s luggage.
By 7.31.09
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Shopping tip: If a strange man asks you to try on some shoes “for his wife,” say “NO.” [Mail-Tribune]
Victim Of Mystery Shopper Scam Arrested, Spends Night In Jail
By 7.27.09
Here’s one more reason to avoid mystery shopping scams: you could be the one who ends up in jail. A woman in Minnesota answered a “mystery shopper” email (that she found in her spam folder, sigh) and signed up. It turned out to be the old check fraud scam—they sent her a $2700 check and told her to deposit it and keep $300 a payment, then use the rest to make mystery shopper purchases. She took the check to her bank, and her bank called the police.
Two Men Charged With Placing Skimmer On Maryland ATM
By 7.24.09
Two men “of no fixed address” were charged in Maryland earlier this month with tampering with an ATM and skimming funds. The men, currently in custody in Oklahoma for similar crimes, allegedly added a skimmer and camera to an ATM at a Maryland PNC bank in April, but police weren’t notified of the tampering until May 20th.
WaMu/Chase Doesn't Believe Your Card Was Stolen, Despite The Fact That The Thief Was Arrested
By 7.24.09
Reader Stephen says that a NYC Taxi driver tricked him into using an ATM skimmer-like-device instead of the normal credit card machine and made off with his card and PIN. The NYPD made an arrest, but Stephen says he’s still battling with Chase/WaMu.
Don't Threaten To Kill Telemarketers
By 7.21.09
We know how you feel; telemarketers suck. But no matter how much they’re in the wrong, please don’t threaten to burn down their place of business and then kill them and their families—even if they call you a jackass—because they may report you to the police. Then, if your police are anything like the ones in St. Louis, Missouri, you’ll likely be arrested and charged for making terrorist threats, like poor Charles Papenfus.
Be Sure To Wear Your Wetsuit, Blindfold, Pepper Spray Necklace To Florida's Water Parks
By 7.17.09
Various water parks in Florida have taken on a weird Westworld vibe this summer, only instead of robots gone mad it’s fellow parkgoers, and instead of trying to kill you they’re trying get at your genitals. And by “you” we mean teenaged girls and boys.
$300,000 Credit Card Skim Was "Model Employee" Scam
By 7.16.09
His name was “Erick,” and after earning respect and responsibilities at the Arco gas station he’d been working at for 8 months, he dissapeared, leaving behind only a hidden credit card skimmer that stole $300,000 worth of debit card info from reams of customers. Police believe that “Erick,” pictured, was a low-rank solider in an organized crime ring who had been given the assignment of working his way up the ladder at the gas station until he was in a position to place the credit card skimmer, a type of con known as the “model employee” scam. As a shopper, protect yourself from skimmers by only using cash, credit cards, or swiping your debit card as credit. [More]
Genius TSA Officer & Baggage Handler Caught Stealing From Decoy Luggage
By 7.15.09
Two workers at JFK airport fell into a trap set by Delta Airlines and the TSA, says the Daily News. The two men are accused of stealing a Macbook Air and a T-Mobile Sidekick from decoy luggage. The first man, a TSA officer, was videotaped rummaging through a Miami-bound suitcase in an airport screening room while a baggage handler watched.
By 7.14.09
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Best tweet of the day: “my bank was just held up- with me in it. HSBC 34 and 8. also my whole trackball is GONE!!! im locked in the bank still.” [Gothamist] (Thanks to John!)
Bank Manager Helps Thwart $25K Con Of 80-Year-Old
By 7.14.09
A manager at Chemical Bank in Midland, Michigan, grew suspicious when he saw Marion Case, an 80-year-old customer, withdraw $25k from her account last December. Case told him she was going to mail it to someone who would then pass it along to her son. The manager, Carl Ahearn, “remained suspicious. He followed her as she walked to the nearby post office, where Case bought an Express Mail envelope addressed to a man in New Jersey. Ahearn shared his concerns with postal officials, who opened an investigation and arrested a man Monday for fraud.”
Comcast Installer Robs Check Cashing Store
By 7.9.09
Hey dumb crooks, if you’re going to rob a place be sure not to wear a uniform with your company’s name on it and drive a van plastered with a nationally recognized logo. It makes it really easy for the police to catch you. On second thought, do just that, please.
Gym Member Catches Thief In The Act; Gym Staff Too Lazy To Help
By 7.8.09
We’re pretty impressed that this member of the Washington Sports Clubs at the DC USA Mall helped catch a thief. We’re a little stunned, however, that the staff at the gym let the guy enter in the first place without making sure he had a membership, or that they did nothing to stop him as he ran out with someone behind him yelling, “Stop! Thief!” Thankfully an off-duty cop pursued and apprehended the guy, and the member got back his wallet. But what’s the point of a gym membership and a staff if you’re completely on your own once you get there?
The Duct Tape Shoplifters: Coming Soon To A Mall Near You?
By 7.7.09
Watch out for organized, highly trained teams of shoplifters in your local mall. They aren’t small-time operators—they stole $23,000 worth of bras and panties from a West Virginia Victoria’s Secret. No, really.
Madoff Asks Judge For 12-Year Sentence
By 6.23.09
“Mr. Madoff is currently 71 years old and has an approximate life expectancy of 13 years,” wrote Sorkin, whose letter was released on Tuesday. “A prison term of 12 years – just short of an effective life sentence – will sufficiently address the goals of deterrence, protecting the public and promoting respect for the law.”
