Internet Scammers Caught
The Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ),
arrested 16 people
suspected of integrating
a criminal organization
which specializes in
fraud against state and
private banks via the
Internet.
The suspects are alleged
to have used the method
known as "phishing" to
extract personal
information from bank
customers who believed
they were responding to
legitimate emails about
their account.
According to
authorities, the
operations had started
at us$3,000 to
us$10,000, but they
recently received a
complaint of fraud for
$200,000. One of the
victims was the mother
of the president of the
Supreme Court who lost
some us$39.000
An official spokesperson
said that this type of
crime was basically
unknown here until last
year, but that they have
recently investigated
several cases.
Apparently, Europeans
are behind the gangs
operating in Costa Rica,
on which law-enforcement
agencies have improved
control now.
|
|
