OPERATION ROLLING STONE

qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

NGUYEN KINH DOANH

From suppressing counterfeit currency to protection the President, the United States Secret Service has entered another area of investigation. On March 28, 2006, Assistant Director Brian Nagel made public an ongoing undercover operation called Operation Rolling Stone, which has targeted online fraud and identity theft through criminal web forums since 2005. The Secret Service arrested seven suspects, bringing the total number of arrests to 21 in the last three months.

“Cyber crime has evolved significantly over the last two years, from dumpster diving and credit card skimming to full-fledged on line bazaars full of stolen personal and financial information,” said Nagel. “We continue to adapt our investigative techniques to progressively combat emerging threats to our nation’s financial infrastructure.”

The initial phase of Operation Rolling Stone involves suspects nationwide as well as in the United Kingdom. The operation could shed some light on – and even lead to the perpetrators of – several massive debit card data breaches that have left millions of consumer bank accounts at risk. Widespread debit card fraud has led to a search for sources of the breaches. In the last six months, Office Max, Sam’s Club and a third compromising network have likely all contributed to rising fraud.

Operation Rolling Stone is one of a number of Secret Service cyber initiatives to combat financial fraud and identity theft. The initiative is designed to disrupt activity on criminal web forums, where the suspects openly engage in the sale of stolen and compromised credit card information, false identity documents, and malicious software that enables criminals to obtain access to victims’ computers.

The Secret Service Division began on July 5, 1865 in Washington D.C. to suppress counterfeit currency. In 1908, Secret Service began protecting the President-elect. President Roosevelt transferred eight Secret Service agents to the Department of Justice. They formed the nucleus of what is now the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Sixty years later, as a result of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, Congress authorized protection of major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and nominees. In 1984, Congress enacted legislation making the fraudulent use of credit and debit cards a federal violation. The law also authorized the Secret Service to investigate violations relating to credit and debit card fraud, federal-interest computer fraud, and fraudulent identification documents.

The Patriot Act in 2001 increases the Secret Service’s role in investigating fraud and related activity in connections with computers. The Secret Service has taken a lead role in the emerging area of cyber crime and, through a nationwide network of 15 Electronic Crimes Task Forces and nine Electronic Crimes Working Groups, has established partnerships in both the law enforcement and business communities to address such issues as protection of critical infrastructure, internet intrusions and associated fraud.

NGUYEN KINH DOANH****APRIL 2006

1905 S WESTERN AVE., SUITE 7

LOS ANGELES, CA 90018

CELLULAR (213)361-7929 E-MAIL: doanh1@sbcglobal.net

WEBSITE: www.geocities.com/nguyenkinhdoanh1/pix