February 27,2009
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News: Omaha's 1st National, Another Victim of Heartland's Breach.
After licking 400,000 stamps, First National is finally winding down the last phase of warning their credit card holders of possible risk. All the work is far from being in the past, however. Now comes the period of close monitoring which, they hope, will be shared by the affected credit card holders who will receive these letters. New credit cards will have to be issued to any whose accounts turn up with suspicious results.
Certainly, this lender is not alone in this monumental breach that may have compromised 100 million credit card accounts across our country. At least 40 states are named so far, comprising hundreds of credit card lenders in the mix. Although many of the transactions compromised will be from the same credit cards having multiple transactions in the batch stolen, we're not yet assured that November was the only month transgressed, either.
As to the theft, only three ‘petty thieves' have been apprehended so far. Called ‘petty' only infers that these three are suspected of being way ‘down the line' in terms of the breach itself. Still, they were caught red-handed with a cool $100,000. It may turn out to be a much greater amount as the investigation continues. After a three-month investigation in Tallahassee, Timothy Johns, Jeremy Frazier and Tony Acreus were finally hauled in and charged with 291 credit card fraud-type counts between them (Johns: 198; Acreus: 77; and Frazier: 16). The investigation continues and, it is hoped that authorities will be able to back-track from where these men purchased the stolen credit card data to some of the ‘masterminds (demented)' behind the operation. They are believed to be part of a global syndicate operating out of a former Eastern Block country. For detail on the arrests, please refer to my accounting at: "Hapless Heartland Hack Heist Habeas'".