http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/04/fake-tax-returns/ By Kim Zetter Threat Level Wired.com April 8, 2010 A group of sophisticated identity thieves managed to steal more than $4 million by filing bogus tax returns using the names and Social Security numbers of other people, many of them deceased, according to a 74-count indictment unsealed in Arizona Thursday. The thieves operated their scheme for at least three years from January 2005 to April 2008, allegedly filing more than 1,900 fraudulent tax returns involving about $4 million in refunds directed to more than 170 bank accounts. The conspirators used numerous fake IDs to open internet and phone accounts and also used more than 175 different IP addresses around the U.S. to file the fake returns, which were often filed in bulk as if through an automated process. According to authorities a 29-year-old California self-described hacker named Daniel David Rigmaiden, aka Steven Travis Brawner, was the ringleader of the group, who conspired with Ransom Marion Carter, III, 43 of Arizona and at least one other conspirator who was arrested in Utah 2008 and has not been identified in court records. Rigmaiden has been in custody since May 2008, but Carter is still at large. The two are charged with 35 counts of wire fraud, 35 counts of identify theft, one count of unauthorized computer access, and two counts of mail fraud. Authorities are also seeking a monetary judgment in the amount of $5.5 million. [...] ___________________________________________________________ Register now for HITBSecConf2010 - Dubai, the premier deep-knowledge network security event in the GCC, featuring keynote speakers John Viega and Matt Watchinski! http://conference.hitb.org/hitbsecconf2010dxb/Received on Thu Apr 08 2010 - 22:19:51 PDT
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