Accusation of ID theft by file-sharing

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070907/ap_on_hi_te/id_theft_4;_ylt=AkBhmDf2SRtU
iA45d7Ru8F8E1vAI

SEATTLE - A Seattle man has been arrested in what the Justice Department
described as its first case against someone accused of using file-sharing
digital data to commit identity theft. 

Gregory Thomas Kopiloff primarily used Limewire's file-sharing program to
troll other people's computers for financial information, which he used to
open credit cards for an online shopping spree, federal prosecutors said
Thursday.

Kopiloff was arrested Wednesday at his government-subsidized apartment a few
blocks from the federal courthouse here. According to a four-count
indictment, he bought at least $73,000 worth of goods online - including
iPods and laptop computers - then resold those items at half-price and kept
the proceeds. Investigators said he blew through most of the money
supporting a gambling habit.

Authorities said they have identified least 83 victims - most of whom have
teenage children and did not know the file-sharing software was on their
computer. But investigators also said they believe the number of people
affected was in the hundreds - and that in all they lost hundreds of
thousands of dollars.

...


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