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Forbes 400 Targeted by ID Thieves

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the where-the-money-is dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Numerous media outlets have been reporting this story about an ID theft ring which targeted the Forbes list of 400 richest Americans. It seems that Igor Klopov, a 24 year-old Russian citizen, was the ring leader and was caught after attempting to pick up $7 million in gold that he was using to launder the money. It goes to show that anyone can be the target of identity theft, as they even went after the President of Transunion, one of the credit reporting bureaus."

16 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Wanna bet... by Stanistani · · Score: 2, Insightful

    >they even went after the President of Transunion, one of the credit reporting bureaus.

    I'll bet the freeze on that record went through without any quibbles or extra charge.

    --
    You can't talk about Wikipedia's flaws on Wikipedia
  2. only 1m? by adamruck · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wonder what would have happened if these people weren't the 400 richest Americans, and instead 400 Joe sixpacks. I imagine that these guys would have gotten away no problem.

    Along the opposite side, the article talks specifically about the group stealing 1m from an individual. If your one of the richest 400 in America, surely you have more than 1m in bank right? I wonder if they group wanted to stay under a certain amount of cash for a particular reason.

    --
    Selling software wont make you money, selling a service will.
    1. Re:only 1m? by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 3, Funny

      I wonder what would have happened if these people weren't the 400 richest Americans, and instead 400 Joe sixpacks.

      Instead of 7 million in gold they would score a box of obsolete computer parts and case of Pabst.

    2. Re:only 1m? by halcyon1234 · · Score: 3, Funny
      I wonder what would have happened if these people weren't the 400 richest Americans, and instead 400 Joe sixpacks. I imagine that these guys would have gotten away no problem.

      Exactly, mostly because the Forbes people are famous enough to be recognized. I imagine the takedown went something like this:

      Russian ID Thief: Ch-alo, yes. I am zee Hopera Vindfeeeed. I am chh-here to be pickings up zee gould vat is mine.
      Gold merchant: OK, let me just bag that for you and... wait a second...

      --
      UTF-8: There and Back Again
  3. obligatory by eneville · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Soviet Russia, Forbes 400 finds ID fraudsters.

    --
    Why UNIX?
  4. Manipulating Forbes list by e1618978 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I imagine that the publicity from being on the Forbes list would be a huge disadvantage (people would try to kidnap your kids, hit you up for money, recognize you in the market, etc), which makes me think that there are a lot of billionaires that are actively trying to avoid being on the list. Who knows if that Mexican guy is really the richest person - Maybe Bill Gates wasn't even in the top 10? Also, I wonder if there are a lot of attempts at bribery of the Forbes reporters from people who want to stay off the list...

    1. Re:Manipulating Forbes list by jcr · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If I were a billionaire, I'd sure as hell do whatever I could to keep a low profile. Rich? great. Famous? No, thanks.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    2. Re:Manipulating Forbes list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      From what I know, the Forbes list is based on income declared for tax purposes. As such most of those rich people would actively try to declare as little income as possible in order to avoid tax. So I would not be surprised that some of those on the Forbes list actually have far more money in offshore accounts etc... which they do not declare.

      And I can tell you I know of a few people who are magnitudes richer then those in the Forbes list, but they are not on the list because they do not declare any income (they are part of the criminal underworld, so tax-evasion is one of those relatively insignificant things for them, and this is also one of the reasons I am posting anonymously ).

      In a nutshell, there are people out there far richer than what is posted on these "rich-lists".

  5. Finally! by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You know the saying about infecting the world leaders with AIDS and having a cure in a year. Maybe this does the same, now that it hits someone who "matters"...

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  6. Glad to see you by BillGatesLoveChild · · Score: 5, Funny

    > arrested attempting to pick up $7 million in gold that he was using to launder the money.

    $7 million to do the laundry? This sounds like the work of Judge "No Pants" Pearson. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2007/08/f irst_pants_man_loses_case_nex.html

  7. Transunion are a bunch of crooks anyhow. by Mark19960 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So, I am glad to see their president, leader of crooks targeted to be robbed.

    Transunion, like all other credit bureaus, sells your info to collectors to rip you off, and they sell you the same data even tho it is your data.

    Fuck all of them I say.

    1. Re:Transunion are a bunch of crooks anyhow. by tompaulco · · Score: 2, Interesting

      it shows how SERIOUSLY messed up the system is when the president of one of the companies that decides whether or not you get to get a credit card, a car loan, a home loan, or impacts any number of other financial transactions you may need or want to make is one of the 400 RICHEST people.
      I used to work for Transunion. If I would have known the president was in the Forbes 400 I would have asked for more money. As it is, my contract was cancelled two weeks early because they couldn't afford me anymore due to 9/11. I guess they could have afforded me and a thousand more like me if they stopped paying the president.
      For the record, Transunion has nothing to do with deciding whether or not you get a credit card, car loan, home loan, or anything else. They just report to potential creditors exactly what has been reported to them. Manipulating that in any way would be a crime.
      Credit Fraud is not done by the big three. That would be very dumb. Credit Fraud is done by creditors. Case in point. My sister was feeling threatened by Automax Hyundai of Midwest City Oklahoma (do not shop there) and walked off the lot. She went to several other Hyundai dealers and was turned down for credit because Automax had submitted multiple denials of loans all for the same day and she had not applied for a loan at all. She eventually got a dealer to give her a loan at something like 15% interest. I told her she should have done without the car for a week, gotten a lawyer and then she probably wouldn't have had to pay for a car at all. Too bad she didn't listen. Rarely, lawyers are actually useful.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  8. Re:National ID Card Now ! by Belacgod · · Score: 2, Insightful
    And when your national ID card is compromised, how do you prove it's you so you can recover?

    Security through redundant backups, people.

  9. If THAT were true... by doug141 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    We wouldn't have this:

    Approximately $3040 is spent on AIDS research for every one death caused by the disease. In comparison, only $37 is spent on cardiovascular disease per death caused by the disease.

    Source:
    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/152003/is _too_much_money_allocated_to_aids.html

  10. Re:ehtical and sensible by Beastmouth · · Score: 2, Informative

    It was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_SuttonWillie Sutton, matter of fact.

  11. Re:ummm... by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 2, Informative

    Google is your friend.

    Top 10 Causes of Death Worldwide
    http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?art iclekey=62218

    However, other leading causes of death differed depending on countries' incomes. Here is the list for high-income countries:

          1. Heart disease
          2. Stroke
          3. Lung cancer
          4. Lower respiratory infections
          5. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
          6. Colon and rectum cancers
          7. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
          8. Type 2 diabetes
          9. Breast cancer
        10. Stomach cancer

    Here is the list for low- and middle-income countries:

          1. Heart disease
          2. Stroke
          3. Lower respiratory infections
          4. HIV/AIDS
          5. Fetus/newborn (perinatal) conditions
          6. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
          7. Diarrhea
          8. Tuberculosis
          9. Malaria
        10. Road traffic accidents

    --
    Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!