US prosecutors launch largest ever hacking fraud case

Print

Credit card hackersUS prosecutors have launched what they say is the country's largest ever hacking fraud case.

Five men in Russia and Ukraine have been charged with running a hacking operation that allegedly stole more than 160 million credit and debit card numbers from a number of major US companies over a period of seven years.

Losses from the thefts amounted to hundreds of millions of dollars. Corporate victims included Nasdaq, Visa, Dow Jones and JC Penney.

Paul Fishman, US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, called the case "the largest ever hacking and data scheme breach in the United States".

Just three of the corporate victims reported $300m (£196m) in losses, prosecutors say.

More...