The Theft

Ethical Theft ?

1 In 2002, 31% of consumers admitted stealing merchandise an average of eleven times per week (Levin 57). More disturbing, a survey of American adults revealed that 88% see nothing wrong with stealing (Levin 49). Although these respondents may be surprised to learn they answered this way, by endorsing online file-sharing, they inadvertently condoned theft. America’s continued use of music-downl...

Identity Theft

On February 7, 2005, the Federal Trade Commission reported that at least 10 million Americans are affected by identity (ID) theft each year[7]. The US Department of Justice defines identity theft as ”all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person’s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain[17].” ID thieves target any ...

Identity Theft through the Web

In the physical world, an individual’s identity is verified by legal documents including passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and identification cards. Identity can also be authenticated by biological features (such as fingerprints or DNA) or demonstration of secret knowledge (passwords). Naturally, online identities can not rely on physical evidence. Instead, online identities are...

Electricity and Gas Theft

Automated Identity Theft

89 otherwise shed light on their underground activities. In one recent case, honeynet intruders exposed the existence of automated tools that support and facilitate identity theft and credit-card fraud. Members of a community who call themselves carders use these tools to defraud Internet merchants and consumers of potentially large financial sums. The preceding installment of this department 1...