Money mule arrests highlight banks' efforts to fight fraud

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9189201/Money_mule_arrests_highlight_banks_efforts_to_fight_fraud

By Jaikumar Vijayan
Computerworld
October 4, 2010

The indictments unveiled last week against dozens of people who 
allegedly helped loot millions of dollars from U.S. businesses via 
online corporate account takeovers highlights the struggle by financial 
firms to fight fraud.

Over the past two years, corporate account takeovers by cybercriminals 
have cost U.S. businesses more than $100 million, according to FBI 
estimates.

In most cases, the thefts have been perpetrated by gangs in Eastern 
Europe who used the Zeus banking Trojan to break into computers 
belonging mainly to small businesses and small municipalities in the 
U.S. The malware has been used to steal online banking credentials and 
access corporate accounts so the thieves could transfer money into 
fraudulent accounts set up by hundreds of U.S.-based accomplices, often 
called "money mules."

Most of the illegal transfers were unauthorized Automated Clearing House 
(ACH) transactions from the victim's account to the money mule.

[...]


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