Search
 

Imprisoned identity-fraud kingpin shares secrets of his scams

Over almost two years, Hieu Minh Ngo made $2 million by providing illegal access to a massive database of personal information to hundreds of criminals.

By Del Quentin Wilber, Bloomberg | Updated on March 07, 2016
Over almost two years, Hieu Minh Ngo made $2 million by providing illegal access to a massive database of personal information to hundreds of criminals. (Photo: Thinkstock)

(Bloomberg) — Stealing credit card information had become a grind. The hacker was spending 12 hours a day hunched over a keyboard, scanning the Internet for weaknesses he could exploit to pilfer data he’d sell for increasingly meager sums.

And so Hieu Minh Ngo began looking for another scam. What the Vietnamese hacker discovered transformed him into one of the most prolific identity thieves in U.S. history. All he needed was a web portal and a bit of social engineering. After that, he said, your information belonged to him.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account?

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Recommended Stories

PropertyCasualty360

Join PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

  • Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
  • Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join PropertyCasualty360

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.