Huge Russian identity theft

From VNUNet:

Millions of customers of a Russian mobile phone operator may have had all their credit card details, addresses and social security numbers stolen. Mobile Telesystems (MTS) has admitted what could be one of the largest data thefts in history.

According to the New York Times [I haven't been able to locate this story online -- D.], victims' stolen details were found on CDs circulating on the streets of Moscow. The CDs were said to contain details of as many as five million customers.

And as is pointed out at Tom's Hardware:

Part of the problem is that data that is confidential isn't just stored at MTS. MTS is required to share it with the police and Russian government agencies (including the K.G.B.'s successor agency, the Federal Security Service). Speculation is that an employee of one of the government agencies sold the data to an outside party.

MEANWHILE, Finnish day-trippers are now thinking twice about visiting the Russian border town of Vyborg:

Thieves are spraying tourists with pepper gas on the streets in broad daylight and making off with wallets, passports and cellphones, tour operators said. Groups of five to 10 are boldly forcing their way onto crowded tour buses, robbing passengers and looting overhead compartments. Some hunt down their victims and offer to sell back passports and cellphones.

Posted by David on January 25, 2003 10:37 AM