Intelligence Agency
Sub-Director Part Of
Organized Crime Gang?
The sub-director de la
Dirección de
Inteligencia y Seguridad
(DIS) - Costa Rica's
intelligence agency -
was arrested yesterday
accused of being part of
a fraud organization
using false cheques,
falsifying
identification and
"phishing" - internet
scamming.
According to Francisco
Segura, subdirector of
the Organismo de
Investigacion Judicial (OIS),
DIS subdirector Guillén
and with others,
including an employee of
ICE, identified by his
last name Artavia, used
information on
subscriptions for
cellular service to
commit the fraud.
Segura explained that a
former ICE employee,
related Artavia, was in
charge of diverting
calls from banks to
verify identification.
The offices of the
Dirección de
Inteligencia y Seguridad
which forms part of the
Ministerio de la
Presidencia was raided
yesterday by OIJ agents
investigating fraud,
which confirmed that
Guillén had access to
confidential information
on the 14 people who
complained of being
victimized and others
who may have been
potential victims.
The organization was
headed by a jeweller and
an employee of a law
firm and included
security guards that
kept an eye on movement
on businesses that were
targeted for cheque
fraud, that included a
hotel in Quepos
According to Segura, the
organization has access
to credit card and bank
account information,
including passwords that
were used to commit the
fraud. In some cases,
the information was
obtained by "phishing",
a method of using email
pretending to be a bank
official to obtain the
required information to
access the customers
online account.
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