FBI Press Release
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Seven Individuals for Engineering Sophisticated Internet Fraud Scheme That Infected Millions of Computers Worldwide and Manipulated Internet Advertising Business
Malware Secretly Re-Routed More Than 4 Million Computers, Generating at Least $14 Million in Fraudulent Advertising Fees for the Defendants
In conjunction with the arrests yesterday, authorities in the United States seized computers at various locations, froze the defendants’ financial accounts, and disabled their network of U.S.-based computers—including dozens of rogue DNS servers located in New York and Chicago. Additionally, authorities in the United States took steps with their foreign counterparts to freeze the defendants’ assets located in other countries. Remediation efforts were immediately undertaken to minimize any disruption of Internet service to the users of computers infected with the Malware. This remediation was necessary because the dismantling of the defendants’ rogue DNS servers—to which millions of computers worldwide had been redirected—would potentially have caused all of those computers, for all practical purposes, to lose access to websites.
The remediation effort is being carried out pursuant to the order of a Manhattan federal court judge. As part of that order, the defendant’s rogue DNS servers have been replaced with legitimate ones. Internet Systems Consortium (“ISC”), a not-for-profit entity, was appointed by the court to act as a third-party receiver for a limited period of 120 days during which time it will administer the replacement DNS servers. Although the replacement DNS servers will provide continuity of Internet service to victims, those replacement servers will not remove the Malware from the infected computers. Users who believe their computers may be infected can find additional information at FBI.gov.
http://www.fbi.gov/newyork/press-releases/2011/manhattan-u.s.-attorney-charges-seven-individuals-for-engineering-sophisticated-internet-fraud-scheme-that-infected-millions-of-computers-worldwide-and-manipulated-internet-advertising-business
Krebs On Security offers readers a behind-the-scenes look at a organized crime operation that uses stolen credit card numbers to purchase and launder high-end electronics.
Shady Reshipping Centers Exposed, Part I
There are dozens of businesses in the criminal underground engaged in merchandise laundering, known as “Drops for stuff” on cybercrime forums. The “drops” are people who have responded to work-at-home package reshipping jobs advertised on craigslist.com and job search sites. Most reshipping scams promise employees a monthly salary and cash bonuses. But the crooks almost always sever communications with drops just before the first payday, usually about a month after the drop ships their first package.
http://krebsonsecurity.com/2011/10/shady-reshipping-centers-exposed-part-i/
A malicious scam which continues to do the rounds with three caught by my spam filter, the transaction ID changes.
How does IRS e-file work?A. You or your tax professional, prepare your tax return. In many cases, the tax professional is also the Electronic Return Originator (ERO) who is authorized to file your return electronically to the IRS. Ask your tax professional to file your return through IRS e-file.You sign your electronic tax return by either using a Self-Select PIN for e-file for a completely paperless return, or by signing Form 8453, US. Individual Income Tax Transmittal for an IRS e-file Return.See ” If the return is electronic, how do I sign it?” for more information.After you sign the return using a Self-Select PIN or Form 8453,the ERO transmits the return to the IRS or to a third-party transmitter who then forwards the entire electronic record to the IRS for processing. Once received at the IRS, the return is automatically checked by computers for errors and missing information. If it cannot be processed, it is sent back to the originating transmitter (usually the ERO) to clarify any necessary information. After correction, the transmitter retransmits the return to the IRS. Within 48 hours of electronically sending your return to IRS, the IRS sends an acknowledgment to the transmitter stating the return is accepted for processing. This is your proof of filing and assurance that the IRS has your return information. The Authorized IRS e-file Provider then sends Form 8453 to the IRS.If due a refund, you can expect to receive it in approximately three weeks from the acknowledgment date – even faster with Direct Deposit (half the time as when filed on paper). If you owe tax, see “What if I owe Money?” for payment options available this year.
Internal Revenue Service,
Metro Plex 1,
8401 Corporate Drive, Suite 300,
Landover, MD 20785
Forbes. 6/23/2011
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2011/06/23/tax-scams-making-the-rounds-again/
