Identity Theft: Corruption is Everywhere
In part one (social engineering), I discussed a few ways your private information can be stolen, leading to full blown identity theft. Though I discussed popular methods, they are not the number one way to have your identification information ripped off. Criminals that want this information, don’t want to spend agonizing hours, ending up with crumbs - they want fully detailed lists, comprised of thousands of identities.
The places where are highly personal information exist are staggering. Your fingerprints, bank information, family history, drivers license number, social security number and endless other data are stored on hard drives all over the world. Any person with access, from store clerks to computer technicians can easily steal or copy anything they want.
When you hand your credit card to a waiter in a restaurant and they walk away for 5 minutes, they could easily swipe your card in a pocket sized magnetic strip copier, and have all your information. The fact is, there are so many people with access to this information, but nobody pays attention to them.
One of the most lucrative illegal businesses is selling black market copies of DVD movies. Any fourteen year old kid with clandestine Blu-Ray decryption software (which you can get for free) can start a highly profitable business right out of their cars - simply by getting a job at a DVD rental store. This allows them to attain a massive inventory, the cornerstone of any successful business. Sure, the job pays $6.00/hour, but the extra $1000.00/week selling illegal DVD’s makes that job one to keep for many young people.
A Frightening Example
A few days ago, 96 students from a San Diego State fraternity were arrested for running a highly organized, illegal drug ring - selling to anyone on campus with money. One of the students was only a month away from graduating with a masters degree in homeland security. One was a criminal justice major; another is suspected of having ties to the Mexican mafia. This is only one campus. Think about all the people who got away with similar crimes and actually do have jobs in the CIA, FBI or homeland security. It is frightening to contemplate, but happens every day.
Corrupted Law Enforcement
People believe that highly classified computer systems are secure, and surely your information is safe with them…right? Think again Sherlock. Most, if not all of the FBI’s mainframe has already been copied and sold thousands of times. You could probably buy a copy of it yourself, if you knew where to look. For crying out loud, an IRS employee could leave work everyday with hard drive back ups to sell on the black market. Some experts believe that that homeland security’s entire system was copied and replaced with an exact replica of itself. Sounds impossible? Read Joanna Rutkowska’s article Introducing Blue Pill - a fascinating post. It is possible to steal information through hacking, but the old fashioned method of just taking it is even more effective. The Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang has judges, politicians, FBI agents and many others infiltrated into the system, just to show a common example.
And then you have corrupted law enforcement, the king of all illegal information. The great thing is, when they get your information, they get everything. Sometimes they even have your DNA profile and a fresh copy of your fingerprints. This information is sold every second of every day on the black market. We live in a new world, where criminal elements - completely above the law - run and control everything you see. If you don’t believe it, you are living under a rock.
Fingerprints
The days of fingerprints being a reliable resource for identifying criminals is becoming an outdated joke. It is extremely easy to copy a person’s fingerprints. It is even possible to produce a pair of gloves with fingerprints embedded in them. Want to be someone else? Just put on a pair of special gloves. A criminal can now become anyone they want and leave someone else’s fingerprints all over the crime scene. To see just how easy it is, check out How To Fake Fingerprints. This is a basic method, but very effective. Imagine if someone made thousands of copies of anyone’s prints and sold them to criminals all over the world. It is happening as we speak.
The Art of Intrusion
I mentioned Kevin Mitnick’s book, The Art of Deception in part one of this two part series. The Art of Intrusion, his second book, takes a different approach. This offers actual case studies of unbelievable crimes committed by hackers - breaking them down into detail. Written like a crime thriller, it offers much insight into how actual hacks were achieved. You can download the free e-book version in PDF format from The Art of Intrusion.pdf. In today’s world of information super thieves, everyone of us needs to be educated in these important matters. If you are reading this article, then you need to read this book. Chances are, you probably work with information thieves, or have them in your family. They are everywhere. Like I said before, the best way to protect yourself, is by understanding how they do it. Take a stand and get informed.
Check out part 1: Identity Theft: Social Engineering
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33 Responses to “Identity Theft: Corruption is Everywhere”
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This is great info. I remember where I used to work having a person come in to talk to us about identity theft. This was a couple of years ago but the funny thing is what I remember coming away with from that was that the most common way that people have their identities stolen, actually have the info stolen from their workplace. That may not be the same today as there are mass credit card numbers stolen at a time nowadays. But I remember how much that made me think though. And it is why I now ask more questions about what happens to my info when I have to give it out. I have an unlisted unpublished telephone number but there a are a few times I’ve given it out because I wanted to get a return call at home and i’ve made it clear on each and every occasion that the number is not to be given out or sold and that a note should be made of that. Of course, I’m always reassured that that will not happen but it certainly has happened because someone will forget or not see the note or it will be a completely different person who retrieves the info from a computer screen or whatever and it gets out. This irritates me to no end since I pay every month to keep that number private. Now I have another phone and I only ever give out one phone number and only when I have to. I also don’t believe I should have to be on a Do Not Call “list” of any type. I should simply be able to ask someone I’m doing business with not to use the number and that should be enough. OOps. Okay, I’ll leave some room now for other commenters. heh.
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Hola Bobby! You’ve been tagged! Have fun and have a great weekend.
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Hi Bobby,
Walter and me have two cards. We never ever use our card linked to our main account. We use another where we keep very limited funds in the account. Of course there is always the ever dreadful hack attempt.
Once again an excellent post. Oh have fun with your tag. Marzie tagged me too:-)
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We’re living in scary times. Identity theft is BIG! I’ve heard about the stories you mentioned and it just unreal, not surprising, but unreal.
My father was a victim of identity theft a couple of years ago. A chuck of his retirement was stolen from the bank and it looked like an inside job.
My wife is very cautious of this as well. She shreds everything to pieces no matter what.
Thanks for the reminder Bobby!
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Very interesting Bobby. Even when people are (should be) aware that these things go on, an article like this really wakes us up to the topic. It’s easy to see why the system (politicians, banks, judges, crooks…) lets this happen and encourages it. Anyone and everyone can be framed at any time for something they didn’t do. This is very convenient when you have a big case that the public demand a scapegoat for like, say, an assassination or a bank robbery.
Best pull our head in and conform, or else…
Funny, I just published an article about ‘Perceived Illusion’. It ties in with this, though doesn’t deal with fingerprints as much as ‘Head Prints’.
Great work Bobby, as always
Sean Rasmussen’s last blog post..The Perceived Illusion
Hi Teeni! I only have a cell phone, and it is actually listed in my facebook account. I have never had a single call from anyone because of it. I’m not concerned about it at all. Having said that, my phone number is not one sought out by millions of people…haha! I prefer to keep it that way
Hi Marzie! I’ll come see
Have a good weekend too! 
That’s a very good idea Jackie! I have several different e-mail addresses and I never sign up for any thing on line using my public address. Nearly every account I have has a 50-100 digit password which I change occasionally. My Google account has a 127 digit password…haha
Hi Rolando! Nowadays, you are extremely lucky if you haven’t had your identity stolen. This is why I personally destroyed my own credit…I have complete natural protection. Corporate credit is the only way to go
Hi Sean! You think much like I do. Yes indeed…people fail to realize identity theft is often committed by governments all over the world. If the CIA needs a fall guy, it’s so easy for them to get. I read your post already, but I’ve had very little time for blogging lately (maybe 2 hours per week). When I’ve had free time lately, I have been too tired to look at my own blog. I will try to do some catching up this weekend
Welcome to the digital age, where technology is advancing more quickly than investigative techniques and legislation. Unfortunately we are stuck doing what we can to guard ourselves, and otherwise hoping for the best.
Hi Bobby,
Hope you are having a good week-end.
Smarty Pants…..Shesshhhh….I wish I could remember that many
Jackie
Shinade’s last blog post..The True Heart Of America
Great post. My e-mail had been used by other person, and have heard others experienced the same things. A classic thing happened that a friend who’s living in US just told me that her credit card were used in KL.
It’s a matter of time as to when we’ll become the next victim, no matter how cautious we are…
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hmm, not sure if this is the perfect post for this but, can you send me your address?
..I should mention that you won the contest on my blog for guessing the two lucky star numbers correctly, send me your details and I’ll get your prize off in the post!
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okay Bobby…I give up…my cards are just about maxed out…I am a serial spender..it’s time to ask hubby to absolve me from my debt once again..poor hubby…anyone that want’s my info..or hacks into my accounts are so screwed…seems like I have been saying sorry alot lately……………….
Bobby, this is an excellent post. Unfortunately, many of us gain a false sense of security, thinking we’re taking the proper measures to protect our identies and that nothing could go wrong. A couple of years ago, while my thoughts were focused on the security of online payments, someone from a local business stole information from one of the few paper checks I had written. Thank goodness for modern, real-time viewing of bank account information! But it did result in having to close an account, file this report and that… grr!
One thing a lot of consumers don’t consider is how the outsourcing of certain services from the US affects the security of our information. For instance, when doctors, banks, and even tech companies send our information/accounts overseas to be more cheaply processed, the information is sometimes harvested and sold by workers who don’t have to follow US law. Imagine, our social security numbers, financial information and even medical histories being exchanged where US law does not apply.
*shaking off the gloom and doom thoughts* Hope the week brings you much happiness!
Chell’s last blog post..Happy Mothers Day
Its very scary to think some of these people were likely going to join the police or government, and they have links to drug dealers etc. I think society is showing signs of becoming more and more dangerous, and we either have to forget all about personal privacy, or we all have to join the crooks and be part of the system. The other alternative might be to separate ourselves from society completely, like a hermit, but I don’t imagine that kind of life would be very much fun.
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I read somewhere about this guy buying a pizza and the kid at the counter talking on his cell phone while ringing up his order. The guy recognized a noise the phone made, because it happened to be the same type of phone that he had. He then realized the kid behind the counter was taking a picture of his credit card and then emailing the information to his computer or to some cronies. That’s super freaky if you ask me- especially in this day and age of using cards that are hooked up to our bank accounts, not just credit cards.
Hi Wild Iris!
It is and will always be impossible to have perfect security on the web. People just need to learn how to protect themselves, it is not the job of anybody else.
Haha! If you can remember your password, it is a bad password. I only use ones so long, they are stored in an encrypted notepad file or written on a piece of paper in my pocket
Chances are, if someone steals your credit card information, or your e-mail, it is someone you know in your daily life. Most of us are quick to blame a hacker out in cyberspace, while the real thief is standing next to them or handling their bank information
Is this the real Andy or an uberhacker incognito? Haha! Wow, I cannot believe I won
I’ve been taking a blogging break and haven’t even looked at it all week! Thanks so much Andy, I will e-mail you all my private information 
You’re a serial spender? I am the exact opposite. I will only buy something is I have to have it…I hate shopping though, maybe because I’m a guy
Thanks so much Chell! I don’t have a checking account, I pay cash only for 99% of everything I buy. I don’t worry about identity theft because I understand security and my identity isn’t worth stealing…haha! I don’t use credit cards because I will not pay interest on anything…I am allergic to it
The most corrupted people are the ones behind governments and banks. They have a stranglehold on people. That’s why I am disgusted when people get behind political candidates - the people are merely enslaving themselves but are too ignorant to see the truth in anything, allowing their entire lives to be ruled by political and religious myths
Hi Michelle! Twas I who snapped that photo…what an insane coincidence
What’s your PIN number? Hahahaha 
Thank you Bobby Revellian for this series of posts. I am lost at times when we have discovered a nice technology for goodness, and how a few individuals can see the loopholes and then loop so much so, many become victims due to ignorance. If you see some of us asleep, a wake up call is always nice.
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You’ve been tagged for a meme.
Feel free to ignore, I do with half of them.
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Hi Zubli! I think most people will not get anything out of this post, but like to give out wake up calls
Hi Beaman! What? Huh? What on Earth is a meme? Haha
Being tagged by you is a rare event, so I will do it!
Individuals like us we each use an avatar an identity close and true. Recently I reminded blogging friends, not to do what is foolish, because the technology in my country is quite advanced, those shall know these blogging friends of mine, even though their avatar can be anything but their own faces.
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Hey Bobby I must say the art of intrusion was a huge eye opener for me. I know that people like this are only getting more sophisticated and that it is a real problem. I think one of the biggest problems is ensuring an employee doesn’t give out company info because they simply did not know any better. Are there any other books out there like this one that can aid in training?
I can’t believe I’ve been reading your blog for a while and only found this post by chance through Stumbleupon.
Other than the Hell’s Angels, who else, if anyone, do you think has infiltrated government and gained a lot of influence?