Tag: Detroit | SpinSafe

Detroit man sentenced to prison for hacking into bank accounts, stealing $300K

April 8, 2023/in Computer Security

A Detroit man was sentenced to prison for stealing more than $300,000 from the bank accounts in a criminal enterprise, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Wednesday.

Johnny Richardson, 28, was sentenced to three to 20 years behind bars for conducting a criminal enterprise that included gaining cellphone data of victims and hacking into their bank accounts for money or to take out loans, according to Nessel’s office. Richardson will be required to pay for court costs, crime victim fees and $309,210 in restitution.

Richardson already is serving eight years in prison for operating an unemployment fraud scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic. He pleaded guilty in July 2021 to stealing $138,000 in COVID aid.

“Richardson, either himself or through others, filed fraudulent unemployment claims over the internet in at least five states resulting in the fraudulent disbursement of at least $683,555 of funds intended for unemployment assistance during the pandemic,” federal officials said in 2021.

During the $2.5 million unemployment scheme, Richardson was accused of allegedly providing information on Michigan claims to Brandi Hawkins, a former contract employee at Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency.

“Hawkins subsequently used her insider access to fraudulently release payments on these claims,” according to the federal government.

The latest conviction of a criminal enterprise was the result of a joint investigation between the Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Division and the U.S. Postal Service.

Source…

Detroit man sentence to prison for hacking into bank accounts, stealing $300K

April 6, 2023/in Internet Security

A Detroit man was sentenced to prison for stealing more than $300,000 from the bank accounts in a criminal enterprise, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Wednesday.

Johnny Richardson, 28, was sentenced to three to 20 years behind bars for conducting a criminal enterprise that included gaining cellphone data of victims and hacking into their bank accounts for money or to take out loans, according to Nessel’s office. Richardson will be required to pay for court costs, crime victim fees and $309,210 in restitution.

Richardson already is serving eight years in prison for operating an unemployment fraud scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic. He pleaded guilty in July 2021 to stealing $138,000 in COVID aid.

“Richardson, either himself or through others, filed fraudulent unemployment claims over the internet in at least five states resulting in the fraudulent disbursement of at least $683,555 of funds intended for unemployment assistance during the pandemic,” federal officials said in 2021.

During the $2.5 million unemployment scheme, Richardson was accused of allegedly providing information on Michigan claims to Brandi Hawkins, a former contract employee at Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency.

“Hawkins subsequently used her insider access to fraudulently release payments on these claims,” according to the federal government.

The latest conviction of a criminal enterprise was the result of a joint investigation between the Attorney General’s Financial Crimes Division and the U.S. Postal Service.

Source…

Metro Detroit police departments targeted in ransomware attacks

February 3, 2023/in Internet Security

Downriver police agengies targeted in malware attack, prevent data breach

Several Downriver police communities were targeted in a data breach this week but, thanks to quick actions, were able to stop the attack before it became a data breach.

WYANDOTTE, Mich. (FOX 2) – Multiple Wayne County police agencies were targeted on Friday in a ransomware attack but were able to thwart a data breach thanks to quick actions.

The details of what agencies were impacted and when by a cyberattack are still emerging, but Wyandotte Police Lt. Neil Hunter said they noticed a lot of phishing emails this week sent to officers and city workers.

According to Hunter, a records management system that supports several downriver police agencies was hit with malware. They’re still determining which departments all had to deal with the mess but FOX 2 has learned that servers had to be shut down temporarily to fix the issue

“(It) made things a little painful for us for a minute, but they were really quick with their response in taking care of the issue. We’re back full running normally,” Hunter said.

The good news is that this was not a data breach.

“Our IT identified it rather quickly. They took care of the problem before it became a bigger problem,” Hunter said.

Darrin Hanna is a cybersecurity and hardware expert out of Oakland University and says criminals working online can get to secure systems more easily than you think.

“Malware is planted, typically, the simplest way is by sending emails and having you download attachments or clicking on a link that takes you to a website that actually isn’t the website you think it is,” he said.

In the end, it comes down to being vigilant before you click or tap on that email attachment.

“The methods people are using to perform these attacks is evolving and changing at all times. Protecting yourself requires a plan, implementing that, and it also requires continuously changing things,” Hanna said.