Category: Technology Author : Mike Stenger Posted: January 18, 2012
Tags : hackers, hacking, robbery
Hackers continue to plug away and a recent case didn’t involve worms or compromising customer data, but stealing cold hard cash. A group of hackers over a three day period, managed to get away with $6.7 Million from Postbank in South Africa, the nation’s post office service.
One has to wonder how they managed to pull it off over a three day period and why no alarms were made. The group pulled it off over a holiday weekend which is one reason why. Here’s how the attack went down:
“Once the offices were closed for the New Year holidays, the gang put their plan in motion. They accessed the computer from a remote location and used it to break into Postbank’s server system and transfer money from various accounts into the ones they opened.”
“Having also raised the withdrawal limits on those accounts, money mules had no problem withdrawing great amounts of money from ATMs in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State during the next few days, stopping completely when the offices were opened again on January 3.”
Had they had more time, they could have potentially got away with Millions more. While the fraud detection system should have worked, well, it clearly didn’t. Postbank’s fraud detection didn’t work period and was one of the biggest reasons why the hackers got away with all the money.
Upon further investigation, it’s no surprise says a banking security expert considering their network and security systems are very outdated and in a serious need of an upgrade. Thanks to insurance, they will likely get their money back, but it’s not something you want to have happen in the first place.
What would you do if you had Millions of dollars in the bank and some people stole it?
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Jan 18, 2012
They are probably just getting back the money those Africans stole from them through their scams. LOL.
I got three African requests in the last week–again! with the same money scamming con for stealing your money. Here's one of them….But note, these scams for money are all supposed to be a BIG secret to get your Bank Account information! So, "Shhhhh!"……………..
Sana Ibrahim
Hello
It is with profound respect and humble submission, I beg to state the following few lines for your kind consideration. I hope you will spare some of your valuable minutes to read the following appeal with sympathetic mind. I must confess that it is with great hope, joy and enthusiasm to write you this mail and I believe by the faith that it must surely find you in good condition of health.
My names are Sana Ibrahim , Somalian Citizen, female, age 23 years old. I`m the daughter of Late professor Ibrahim, the former head of foreign affairs department for the Islamic Courts of Somalia. My father was killed on December 3, 2009, in an explosion during a graduation ceremony at the Shamo Hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia. I lost my mother long time ago, when I was just 6 years old and since then, my father loved me so dearly at my tender age may he rest in peace and may the great God give him a safe entry in Paradise. Amen.
Before the death of my father, he told me that he made a fixed deposit of the sum of Six Million, Three Hundred thousand United States Dollars(6.3Million USD) in one of the Banks in Burkina Faso with my name as his next of kin. I have travelled to Burkina Faso to clear the money but the Bank manager told me that my refugee status is not authorised by the laws of Burkina Faso to clear the money. He advised me to appoint a trustee.
Now, I am Soliciting your help for transfer of the money into your bank account and investment assistance in your Country. I have suffered lots of set back as a result of my parents death. I left Somalia because of incessant family feuds. Presently, I am living in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Hence, I want to settle abroad to continue my studies and spend the rest of my life. Please consider my request as my life is being hugely affected.
Thanks a lot in anticipation of your prompt response.
Yours sincerely,
Sana Ibrahim.
Jan 18, 2012
WHEN Will These Scams EVER STOP?
Oh, Looky, I just got one from the UK! LOL……How much is £1,263,584.00 POUNDS? LOL
CLAIMS REQUIREMENT!
Hide Details
FROM: BBC ONE NATIONAL LOTTERY.
TO: bbcnl@yahoo.co.uk
Message flagged
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:31 AM.
Message body
Kindly send the details below for payment of £1,263,584.00 POUNDS which your E-mail ID.
won in THE BBC ONE NATIONAL LOTTERY.
(1) FULL NAME:
(2) FULL ADDRESS:
(3) AGE/SEX:
(4) OCCUPATION:
Sincerely,
Mr. Nick Knowles.
Reply to: bbconenl.receive@yahoo.co.uk.
Jan 18, 2012
Here's a Scammer from the 'CONGO' (I removed time) that sent this Email:…..George, you must think I'm a real blonde! LOL.
No Subject]
Hide Details
FROM: wxxxxxxxxxzx4500@att.net
Message flagged
Monday, January 16, 2012.
Message body
Your email address just won the sum of $500,000 from our uk Lotto Conga Email promo, reply your claims agent in this mail with your full names(George White(Tel +44-704-570-1545.
Jan 18, 2012
Here's a pretty formal Scammer from Burkina Faso West Africa……WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT THESE SCAMS?
Message flagged
Sunday, January 15, 2012.
COMMUNICATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
FROM: ibrahim giwa.
TO:.
From the Desk of Dr. Ibrahim Giwa
Manager Bill and Exchange Dept.
African Development Bank (ADB).
Ouagadougou Burkina Faso.
I know that this mail will come to you as a surprise. I am the bill.
and Exchange manager in African Development Bank.I Hope that you will.
not expose or betray this trust and confident that I am about to.
Repose on you for the mutual benefit of our both families.
I need your urgent assistance in transferring the sum of $12.6 million.
Immediately to your account. The money has been dormant for years in.
our Bank here without any body coming for it. I want to release the.
money to you as the nearest person to our deceased customer(the owner.
Of the account) who died a long with his supposed next of kin in an.
air Crash since July 2000.
I don't want the money to go into our Bank treasury as an abandoned.
fund. This is the reason why I contacted you, so that the bank can.
release the money to you as the nearest person to the deceased.
customer. Please I will like you to keep this proposal as a top secret.
and delete if you are not interested.
Upon receipt of your reply, I will send you full details on how the.
Business will be executed and also note that you will have 40% of the.
Above mentioned sum. Acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance.
of my mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following:
1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.
Please reply in my private email address (ibrahim.giwa@voila.fr).
security and confidential reasons.
Dr. Ibrahim Giwa
African Development Bank,
Burkina Faso West Africa.
Jan 18, 2012
When I did not reply that last RUSH Request for 12.6 MILLION BUCKS! LOL from West Africa fast enough, they re-sent that Email 5 hours later….Geez!
OK, I 'think' I'm done for today. LOL.
Now, Don't nobody fall for this BS.
Jan 19, 2012
Just read this Link on that BBC Lottery SCAM and it looks like Nigerians were behind it. Who woulda thought? LOL http://www.eurogamer.net/forum_thread_posts.php?thread_id=136892&start=30.
Jan 24, 2012
hi