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Santa Barbara County authorities arrest alleged cyber thief in massive identity theft bust
An alleged cyber thief is out on bail after being arrested on suspicion of stealing more than $158,000 from five different online home equity accounts.
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department arrested Imoukhuede Ohiwerei Ehimika at his Goleta apartment last Tuesday after an eight month investigation.
The charges are related to identity theft and may include wire-fraud, a federal crime depending on the circumstances.
The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office assigned Anthony Davis to the case.
“Ehimika would select his victim’s by trolling through neighborhoods looking for unsecured wireless internet connections,” according to a press release from the Santa Barbara sheriff’s department.
He would then transfer money into them, travel to different Wal-Marts throughout southern California, and purchase money orders to collect the cash.
“Sounds like a drive-by hacking,” said Jeanine Swatton, a cyber-security and cyber-bullying expert based in San Francisco.
Swatton explained that some criminally minded hackers seek out vulnerable systems to exploit.
If a wireless server isn’t properly protected, e-thieves can “spoof it,” or copy its information.
“Most people buy a server and don’t bother to reset the default user name and password,” said Swatton.
“All someone looking for a router needs is that and they get free access.”
Not only to the web, she said, but also to your personal information.
Swatton cautioned computer owners to reset any default codes when they install any internet accessible devices.
“Basically, it’s easy to open a bank account,” she said.
“ A bank asks for a person’s birth date, social security number, and mother’s maiden name and that’s it.”
The press release did not name the bank or banks holding the accounts.
As for Ehimika’s alleged trolling, authorities only mention neighborhoods and not commercial spots like coffee houses that provide free Internet to customers.
“Be careful with those,” she said about public locations, ”they’re easily spoofed.”
Also, exactly which Wal Marts and how many money orders were purchased were not disclosed, either.
The first report came in April from a local man who saw $5,000 move from his home equity account to one with his name, but not opened by him.
Three more people reported another $93,500 stolen in May and June.
Then in September, a fifth victim reported that someone transferred $58,000 from his bank account in a similar fashion.
Ehimika was identified as a suspect a short time later.
The 26-year-old moved here from his native Nigeria to attend college at UCSB.
He was taken into custody Dec. 21 after authorities searched his home on Mathilda Drive in Goleta.
After a week in jail, he was released Tuesday on $150,000 bail.
WE KEEP GIVING VISAS TO TERRORISTS AND HACKERS AH? : 12/30/2010
Thanks alot republican a-holes, your love for money will lead us to destruction!
“VISAS” TO THOSE WHO HAVE MONEY… HELL to those who want to cook, clean and serve us! [IMMIGRATION REFORM IS A MUST]
: 12/31/2010
no way he stays here, that bail money is as good as gone
Financial Institutions are Culpable : 12/31/2010
Measures in security and quality assurance leaves a lot to be desired by banks. Consumers must be wary of fraud by the institutions themselves which commonly pass the buck (that’s all they do). The article doesn’t say whether victims recovered their money after security breaches were made electronically.
And we think the electronic counting method in elections are accurate?
NO wireless connection is safe : 12/31/2010
…and neither are wired connections. However, some connections are safer than others. It has been shown repeatedly that a skilled hacker can break the password of wireless routers. However, this takes more effort than finding unsecured wireless networks, as in this case. So, you are safer if you password encrypt your wireless data – but don’t for a minute believe that your transactions are actually safe. If a skilled hacker were to target me specifically I suspect it would not take long to access my files and transactions, even though I don’t use a wireless router. Discretion remains a viable defense.
Patrick
: 1/1/2011
even though you block peoples IP adresses when they make a comment you don’t agree with, you (the daily sound) is still becoming more and more irrelevant. Rather than spending so much energy blocking addresses, why don’t you invest a little time in some constructive, intelligent and UNBIASED reporting. You might consider forgetting all the experience you got at the NP and start from scratch.
More Non-Latino Crime : 1/2/2011
Once again a non-latino has committed horrible crimes in our progressive neighborhood. While latino are unfairly blamed for committing supposed gang-related crimes all the time, this article is proof that 99.999% of all crimes in our community are committed by non-latinos (mostly whites, arabs, blacks, Chinamen, etc). Where is the outrage? When will there be a call from the white, FoxNews-watching sloths in our community to have these non-latino criminals deported back to whatever country they come from? The irony is simply astounding and I’ve had enough.
Maria Fernandez
Santa Barbara Co. cyber theif let go on bail : 1/8/2011
As a victim of this persons mail and identity theft I want to know why the bail was set so low. If he stole over $150 k that they have discovered so far – so this is pocket change to him. Plus when he flees the country he will likely take all the personal information he stole with him to do more damage over the internet. I want to know what judge did this or was it the DA’s recommendation?
G
Article source: http://www.thedailysound.com/results/123110-SANTA-BARBARA-IDENTITY-THEFT
Category: Cyber Crime