Support Center Served Over 2,000 Identity Thieves

wiredmikey writes "The operator of an online business that assisted over 2,000 identity thieves in over 5,000 instances of fraud pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire and credit card fraud this week. The Belarus man operated a service that helped fellow online thieves use stolen information by providing English language calling services to trick banks in the United States. The service helped counteract security measures put in place by financial institutions to prevent fraud when account holders try to make transfers or withdrawals from their accounts. In exchange for a fee, the two men provided the services of English- and German-speaking individuals to persons who had stolen account and biographical information to defeat the security screening processes."

Comments

Support Centers

[Narnie]

I'm tired of all these support centers moving overseas. Why can't we keep call centers in the States? Congress should provide incentives to keep these services domestic.

Re:Support Centers

[jhoegl]

Yup, the incentive is... stay in the USA or you cant operate.
If our economy is still the largest, companies will adapt to gain our business.

Re:Support Centers

[hedwards]

I'm not sure that they have to all stay in the country, but what this whole thing really illustrates quite clearly is that it's that much more difficult to ensure that our laws are being respected when the work is being done overseas. The US does not have the power to enforce its laws in India anymore than the French have the right to enforce their laws in Mexico, which leads to all sorts of complications.

Unfortunately even a company that's just looking to cut the cost of labor can find itself in a position where the employees are not complying with the law in the US and have to solve that.

The easiest solution is to just not go offshore, but it isn't the most efficient, given that it's often times quite efficient to have some tech support done on the other side of the world. A problem sent in at just before closing time can be solved and answered somewhat before the customer gets up in the morning without making somebody stay up all night.

Re:Support Centers

[EdIII]

The answer is simple. Look at the telemarketing industry. Regardless of how offshore they want to make it, the FTC holds the US companies liable for the actions of the foreign companies servicing them. All the FTC cares about is the product that makes the money. The company that owns that product gets "owned" by the FTC.

Just write laws to hold US companies liable for foreign companies they pay to represent them.

Re:Support Centers

[milkmage]

"this whole thing really illustrates quite clearly is that it's that much more difficult to ensure that our laws are being respected" ...in what country is stealing money by defrauding a bank legal?... it's not like you can't rip people off from a US based call center..

did you read the article?

"This case was a model of international cooperation, and serves as a warning to anyone who thinks they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet and outside the United States to commit fraud. With our partners at the FBI and our law enforcement colleagues around the world, this Office will pursue identity thieves and their co-conspirators wherever they may hide” said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara."

" The US does not have the power to enforce its laws in India anymore than the French have the right to enforce their laws in Mexico," we didn't have to use US law, the Czechs, Belarusians and Lithuanians all used their own at the request of the US.

Naskovets was arrested by Czech enforcement authorities for the purpose of extradition on April 15, 2010, at the request of the United States. Also on April 15, 2010, in a joint operation, Belarusian law enforcement authorities arrested Semasko in Belarus, and Lithuanian law enforcement authorities seized the computers on which the site was hosted.

and the perps pled guilty in Manhattan.

Bollocks

[JustOK]

I call shenanigans! No way you can call a support center and get someone who speaks English these days.