The article that I choose to discuss was from the New
York Post, It was published on February 13th and the story was
written by Mitchel Maddux. The article was called “B’klyn credit-card fraud
factory” and can be found here on the New York Post’s online website http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/klyn_credit_card_fraud_factory_Mx4LbVSdoUw2ESRAX7LsqO
The FBI just recently busted a group that operated a
fraud ring out of a high rise condo in Brooklyn, a part of New York City. This
is usually a crime free neighborhood and the residents of the neighborhood with
breathtaking views of Manhattan are shocked of what was going on up there in
the luxury high-rise. The FBI arrested Kwan Miller, who lived in the BridgeView
Tower that provided a 24 hour concierge service, fitness rooms, indoor parking
and free shuttle service to Manhattan and nearby subway stations.
The FBI were tipped off by an informant when they found
out that Miller was using ICQ which is an European instant messaging service
which he obtained stolen credit card numbers during chats with his Russian
contacts. The FBI also intercepted emails from Miller which contained about 100
credit card numbers. Miller bought
several specialty printers that embossed numbers and other encoded information
on plastic credit card blanks. He also had fake identification of the stole
identities as well. They then went out on shopping sprees in retail stores
across NYC and bought goods and they sold them for cash.
This isn’t Miller’s first run-in with the law as in 2007
using the assumed name of Kwan Thomas he pleaded guilty for another credit card
fraud scheme and was sentenced to 39 months in jail.
Personally, I think this guy is a scumbag for doing this.
What he did was unethical in every way possible. He stole people’s credit cards
and identities so he could live the life in New York City. His time eventually
ran out as he was caught red handed. Since this isn’t his first run in with identity
theft, the FBI should do a better job of seeing who has committed identity
theft in the past and then keep tabs on those people so they won’t commit the
same crimes again.
I completely agree with that statement of ethics. This goes over and beyond privacy and ethical issues. This menace to society actually went through this elaborate scam and pulled it off for quite a while. Especially being in Manhattan, there are some of the most dangerous intellectuals who are seeking your information. This really makes me stop to think about how well protected I actually am. I mean, this individual got information that was not supposed to be obtainable by an individual such as himself, but he still manages to obtain it. This shows how rules and regulations are still being bent in every which way to beat the system. And with the rise of crime, comes the rise of security which I feel will be able to stop this from happening in the future and to also prevent other disturbances in the system that could further rubture the fine line between privacy and omniscient of others personal information.
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