A forum for fraudsters
Taken from BBC’s dot.life technology blog, written by Rory Cellan-Jones 28 Aug 08, 17:03 GMT
In the last few days, I’ve entered a whole new web world. It’s a place where people speak of getting “dumps… sniffed from ATMs” or using “blinds to cash out” or getting data through “rj 45 taps.” The language belongs to a criminal community – the people who make a living out of credit card fraud.
They gather to swap tips and appeal for information on a number of web forums, and the one we’ve been looking at features some quite astonishingly brazen messages. The one which really caught our attention was about an attempt to use thousands of stolen US credit card details in British supermarkets. You can read the whole of it here.
The discussion on the crooks’ forum is a bit of a wake-up call for all those who think that the introduction of chip-and-pin in the UK has wiped out card fraud. It has certainly made it harder – but the fact that the United States has yet to adopt the system gives the crooks a big opportunity in a crime which the internet has helped turn into a globalised business. So, as in this case, British fraudsters can buy stolen credit card details from the US and use them here because retailers still have to allow the “swipe and sign” option for overseas cards without a chip. Equally, card details stolen from UK consumers can be sold overseas for use in countries without chip-and-pin.
The author of the message appealing for information on where to use his cards – and offering “a ps3, 10 bottle of vodka or jd for weekend” in return – also has another post on the forum, generously offering advice on how to steal credit card details from cash machines. His guide to an “ATM skimmer” features photographs and technical details of a machine which is apparently attached to an ATM and then sends data to a mobile phone. Let’s hope the police and the banks are studying this website too, and working out how to foil the fraudsters.
But a policeman I contacted admitted that it’s a huge struggle to keep track of what’s happening on these fraud forums – and virtually impossible to act against sites that are usually based abroad.
The fraudster describes his “interests” in his profile on the forum as: “Get rich… or Die Trying 
”. By the sound of it, getting rich is still far too easy.
I suppose all of this is more proof that the internet is a brilliant way of organising people around the world with common interests. How sad that, all too often, those interest are criminal.
Here is the full text from the forum.
“Okies guys i need some first hand info from all of you who live in uk smile.gif
Very soon and I mean like in day or 2 i will start getting us dumps from one of my sources in us. They are skimmed from atms and are 101 dumps. I can get both track 1 and 2 but no pin. They are sending these dumps over to me for cash out. Now i have a bit of situation.
As these dumps are sniffed from atms in us, using rj45 taps they can see balance and track info. For dumps with gud balance i have whole network ready of mearchants who do not have any problem to cash them out on thier pos but for dumps below certain balance i know mearchants will not be really keen to swipe. Lets say below average balance is any thing between 350 $ – 1500 $. arnd 250 £ – 1000 £
Now to cash out these dumps i have to set blinds which off course i have pre arranged. My only problem is places to cash out. I know currys pc world etc let u swipe but not every time u have enuff to buy a lap top.
Where i live in mid west region tesco let u swipe on tills but not on self check outs and asda does not let u swipe at all.
How ever i went to wales yesterday to meet a friend and was surprised to see that , there asda have self checkouts with swipe option available. How ever on till u cant swipe.
so this means looking at some specific trends all these super marts have enabled swipe in certain places and blocked in other.
I will be more than happy if you guy can post over here what ever is available in ur asda / tesco and other super markets. I do not need exact city info but sumthing like county name and store name and options will be really help full.I will be specially interested to get feed back from frnds in scotland and ireland if any.
I can say one thing if ur info helps me out in any way … I can assure you a ps3 , 10 bottle of vodka or jd for weekend , or if u need smokes lol 5 10 boxes of ciggies can be easly dropped at ur desired location as gift from my end.
Its shopping spree guys help me out and I will take care of you.
Just for those who are interested …at moment i am getting arnd 2300 dumps 101 ( 85 % debit ) which i have to clear in next month or so b4 next lot form another atm will be ready to use.
Any one who can provide any kind of help will be really appreciated.
one more thing : with in a week or so i can expect loads of electronic gadgets with me etc …so keep an eye on topic coz i will be posting regualr items that will be going on 60 % – 70 % of market price !!!!
Also With in reasonable budget i can full fill demands too. This option is only for Uk users as i will be busy with other stuff and cant be bothered with postage etc. Leme know by pm if u are interested in any specific thing from any super market. If u have to request make sure u put model number of item along with current retail price and in last how much u willing to pay if i get u that .And pls no gift vouchers etc lol they ask too many qs when u buy them.
I will come back to u asap.
p.s
Admins smile.gif u can treat ur self too i guess shipping to holland and lithuania does not cost that much wink.gif
Regards”