Cops smash credit card fraud syndicate
THE personal details of victims in a $37 million credit card scam were stolen from the internet and used to buy luxury items that were sold for cash, police say.
A Chinese couple was arrested around 6am (AEST) on Thursday at a Sydney home where they allegedly manufactured the 15,000 cards and other forms of identification.
The residence was one of two homes at Ryde, in the city's northwest, where the Asia-linked syndicate allegedly operated.
Thursday's operation by the NSW Police Force and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) brings to eight the number of people charged over the alleged syndicate in the past 12 months.
Head of the NSW Fraud and Cybercrime Squad, Col Dyson, said victims of the fraud syndicate had their personal details stolen from websites or by skimming devices.
"The names used on the cards are a mixture of fictitious names and names of legitimate people," Detective Superintendent Dyson told reporters in Sydney.
"We will be alleging that those cards were in fact being manufactured in (the alleged offenders') home in Ryde."
The cards were produced then sold to other groups. Luxury items including jewellery, clothes and alcohol were purchased and then sold for cash.
Each card was used for up to three days before being discarded.
Police have seized about $1 million in cash and assets bought with the fake cards.
Fake Medicare cards and driver's licences were also produced, police say.
Authorities believe they have charged the alleged ringleaders but have not ruled out further arrests.
AFP Detective Superintendent Darren Booy said the equipment used to produce the cards was legal and easy to obtain.
"Most of the equipment used in the manufacturing can be locally sourced although some is able to be purchased and imported into Australia quite legally," Det Supt Booy told reporters at the same media conference.
The 48-year-old man and 40-year-old woman were charged with a total of 12 offences and granted bail to appear in Hornsby Local Court on October 25.
Six others with similar backgrounds have been arrested and are currently before the courts.
Source:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/br...ity-scam-smashed/story-e6frf7kf-1226482334450
Oh my, what's happening? Those "ideal immigrants" - industrious, respectful and law-abiding Asians - have been caught at it again...
Just to top it off, when I googled the above story using the simple terms "credit card fraud", the following also popped up:
Hayward taxi driver arrested at SFO for credit card fraud, police say
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT -- A cabdriver from Hayward has been arrested at San Francisco International Airport for allegedly making numerous purchases at airport stores with altered credit cards.
Vipan Kumar Sharma, 38, was arrested Friday morning after he made a fraudulent purchase at a concession in SFO's International Terminal, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's airport investigation unit.
Airport bureau officers had used video surveillance to identify Sharma as a suspect in other fraudulent transactions.
At the time of his arrest, Sharma was in possession of altered credit cards, drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine.
He was booked into San Mateo County jail on suspicion of five counts of commercial burglary, committing a felony while on bail, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and fraudulent use of access cards.
Source:
http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_21668465/hayward-taxi-driver-arrested-at-sfo-credit-card
