The World's Top Cybercriminals

bart_scriv writes "BusinessWeek profiles four individuals identified by law enforcement as the world's foremost online criminals. They're accused of crimes ranging from re-shipping rings to credit card theft and email fraud -- '...all are Russian. Strong technical universities, comparatively low incomes, and an unstable legal system make the former Soviet Union an ideal breeding ground for cyberscams. Also, tense political relations sometimes complicate efforts to obtain cooperation with local law enforcement.'"

Comments

Russian Local Law Enforcement?

[eldavojohn]

Also, tense political relations sometimes complicate efforts to obtain cooperation with local law enforcement.

I've heard that in many places of the former Soviet Union, the "local law enforcement" only enforces laws when it suits their financial needs. I've talked to people from places like Lithuania and Russia and one of the many reasons they left was because justice has a price on the streets.

If you're caught doing something illegal, it's almost guaranteed there is some price you can pay the police to be let go.

In my opinion, this hurts local small businesses immensely. I believe that it makes them more difficult to succeed and lays the groundwork for an instable/weak capitalistic system. There's even a problem with local law enforcement and bribes in many other countries. Honestly, if there was one thing I think that would help countries get back on track, it would be better law enforcement especially on the local level. How can people be expected to work and thrive in a system when the letter of the law is uncertain? How can you expect them to run a business and distribute goods/services if a thief can pay off police when he burglarizes the store?

Re:Russian Local Law Enforcement?

[regen]

In some countries, the military and police are not fully funded by the government. The government requires them to develop a means to fund themselves. This results in the military and police running protection rackets. At least if both the police and military are doing this the provide competition to each other, but it is still pretty f*cked up.

hacker icons a Good Thing

[Douglas Simmons]

With their notoriety, hackers like these have created an entire industry that races to make computers more secure. Given that you'll always have a constant number of script kiddies that don't make the news, the result is more secure computers and more people with jobs in this antivirus market.

cat and mouse?

[hackstraw]

One thing I don't get about stories like this is why is it so difficult to go and pick up known "bad guys"?

You can look an Wikipedia and get a list of the big drug lords, read articles like this, or go to SpamHaus and see the list of the big fraud/spammers, but they keep doing what they do for a long time.

Is it because these people are so wealthy that its hard to get them? Is it because governments and law enforcement places are corrupt and get bought off or are part of the action as well?

Inquiring minds want to know.