Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

$9 Million ATM Hacking Ring Indicted

Posted by kdawson on from the good-luck-with-those-arrests dept.

Trailrunner7 writes "US and international prosecutors have indicted a criminal ring that they allege was responsible for an ATM scam last November that stole about $9 million from RBS WorldPay. The criminals cracked payroll debit cards and withdrew money from ATMs in hundreds of cities around the world. A federal grand jury in Atlanta has indicted eight men in connection with the scheme, including five Estonians, one Russian, one Moldovan, and one unidentified man. Prosecutors allege that the men 'used sophisticated hacking techniques' to defeat the company's encryption system. The scam involved an elaborate plan in which the attackers first bypassed the encryption on the debit cards, which RBS WorldPay issues to customers for employee payroll purposes. They then raised the limits on the accounts attached to the cards, then provided a network of 'cashers' with 44 counterfeit payroll debit cards, which were used to withdraw more than $9 million from more than 2,100 ATMs in at least 280 cities worldwide, including cities in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Italy, Japan and Canada. The $9 million loss occurred within a span of less than 12 hours; 130 different ATMs in 49 cities were hit within one 30-minute period."

4 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Re:??? What? by AF_Cheddar_Head · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Lots of companies that have a highly fluid employee population use these payroll debit cards.

    My son works for a company owned 7-11 that pays him this way. Each card has an account dedicated to it. Not sure what the benefit from the company perspective is. Probably some kickback on the percentage the card issuing company collects on purchase and maybe ATM fees.

    These cards are also probably a handy to pay illegal aliens who can't get bank accounts (just speculating).

  2. Did Glenn Beck steal 9 million dollars? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is he the unidentified man? Why does Glen Beck not deny his involvement?

  3. smarter criminals by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Bank Robber: thousands of dollars stolen, but they go to a maximum security prison
    ATM fraud ring: millions of dollars stolen, but they go to a medium security prison
    Ponzi scheme: billions of dollars stolen, but they go to a minimum security prison.
    Bankers: trillions of dollars stolen, and they're given more by the government with a bonus on top

  4. Re:??? What? by Rophuine · · Score: 5, Interesting

    These cards are also probably a handy to pay illegal aliens who can't get bank accounts (just speculating).

    I used to write software for one of these companies. They practically marketed it that way.