March: The Hang-Up Team claims to have collected 5 gigabytes of data captured by logging the keystrokes of unwary computer users, according to iDefense. The team may unload stolen passwords and credit card numbers through the cybercrime site Carderplanet. June: Ukrainian Roman Vega, a.k.a. Boa, is extradited from Cyprus to Northern California and pleads not guilty to charges of wire fraud, use of unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud, and aiding and abetting. He is accused of operating www.boafactory.com, which buys and sells stolen credit cards and fake IDs. July: A new English-language site called Stealthdivision, founded by a member of Carderplanet to promote credit card fraud, has 320 members, according to iDefense. August: The Justice Department announces more than 160 investigations into Internet fraud. One target, Saad (alias Jay R.) Echouafni, became a fugitive after being indicted for allegedly hiring hackers to launch denial-of-service attacks against his competitors. The attacks also disrupted web sites for the Department of Homeland Security and Amazon.com. October: Secret Service seizes control of the Shadowcrew Web site and arrests 28 people in eight states and six countries. They plead not guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States. One man, Nicolas Jacobsen, is charged with hacking into a T-Mobile computer system, exposing confidential documents the Secret Service had e-mailed to an agent. December: Microsoft announces Digital PhishNet, a collaboration between banks, ISPs and others to compile data on phishing and share it with law-enforcement authorities. |