It was November 2002, and Thomas, then a 44-year-old Texan, was in Washington to collect more than $30,000 in merchandise that a Ukrainian known as “Big Buyer” ordered from Outpost.com with stolen credit card numbers. His job was to collect the goods from a mail drop, fence them on eBay and wire the money to Russia, pocketing 40 percent of the take before moving to another city to repeat the scam.
theft
Shoplifting in Supermarkets: People Steal Meat and Analgesics
By 1.3.07
The Freakonomics Blog had an interesting piece the other day about shoplifting in supermarkets. Theft of “Health and Beauty” items (usually the most stolen category) is down this year. The category has been surpassed by “meat and analgesics.” When we’re broke we want to eat a steak and get numb, right? That’s the American dream, right there.
Gift Cards Are New Source of Scams
By 12.5.06
Thieves have been writing down the numbers of unused gift cards. Once the card has been activated, they take the numbers online and start shopping.
No-Swipe Credit Cards Pose Risk Says Senator
By 12.5.06
Credit cards that use RFID signals to conduct transactions could put consumers at risk for identity theft and credit card fraud, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY said in a press conference Sunday.
Elmo, Thankfully, Goes Missing
By 11.3.06
Walmart has declared missing a shipment of 100 Elmo T.M.X. dolls. The annoying-as-fuck toys went missing en route to a Walmart location in Bentonville, AR.
Ask The Consumerist: Ebay Laptop, Without The Fraud?
By 10.26.06
“Whatever IT is, you can get IT on Ebay,” goes the promise. Unfortunately for reader Wil, “it” has meant, “almost being scammed.”
Long-Distance RFID Snagging Possible, Already Done
By 10.24.06
After posting about the danger posed by magic wand credit cards, some readers pooh-poohed the notion that someone could build a device capable of reading RFID from a distance.
Foil RFID Thieves. Literally.
By 10.23.06
The tin-foil hat contingent may have finally hit on something right.
No-Swipe Credit Card No Problem For Thieves
By 10.23.06
Radio-frequency enabled credit cards allow consumers to complete transactions with a flick of the wrist, but new research shows that it’s not just consumers and merchants who will find the new system easier.
Macy’s Sweeps Stolen Carpet Under The Rug
By 10.20.06
When Seth G. bought a splendid new carpet from Macy’s for over $1,500 bucks, Macy’s didn’t send it via Fed Ex. They didn’t send it via DHL. Heck, not even UPS. They sent it by a little company called Roadway. Hey, Macy’s didn’t get rich by not knowing how to pinch some pennies.
Cell Phones Scream When You’re Mugged
By 10.4.06
Does society need more ear-piercing shrieks? The car alarm. The house alarm. The fire alarm. The unbearable sound of small, obnoxious children at play. And now, the stolen cellular phone alarm.
Yo Quiero Your Stolen Cellphone
By 9.1.06
Although not as deliciously trashy as the infamous How Not To Steal A Sidekick story of June, we can glean a few interesting details about the criminals who stole the Practicalist’s cell phone and then inadvertently uploaded their snapshots to his Flickr account.
The Ubiquity of Broken Electronics Pilfering by the TSA
By 8.15.06
An anonymous reader sent us a curious little email yesterday evening. She claims that she has found an easy and environmentally safe way to discard of broken electronics, doo-dads and gizmos: pack them in her check-in luggage and wait for TSA monkeys to steal them.
HSBC Security Hole Leaves 3M Customers’ Accounts Vulnerable
By 8.14.06
If you’ve got your money tied up with HSBC, better be on your tip-toes: a research team from Cardiff University has discovered a flaw in HSBC’s banking system that exposes three million customers’ accounts to the theft of wily hackers.
2 Young Scalawags Charged in Veteran Data Theft
By 8.8.06
Nineteen-year-old Jesus Alex Pineda 19, and Christian Brian Montano were charged Saturday in the left of a laptop containing 26.5 million veteran’s records.
