In a story published in today's "The Guardian" they report that 45 people from an International Fraud Ring have been arrested in New York City.  Here's an excerpt...the complete story hyperlink is here: Guardian Newspapers

45 Arrested In US Over Alleged $12M Credit Card Scam

Authorities in New York City, United States arrested 45 people allegedly involved in a series of financial and identity crimes earlier this week in what New York City authorities called the dismantling of an "international credit card and identity fraud ring'.

A statement from the District Attorney's office for Queens County (under New York City) late on Thursday said in the last one year alone, this group of Nigerians and their American collaborators have engaged in fraud estimated at $12 million.  About 22 of the over 40 alleged criminals have already been arraigned at a New York Supreme Court.

The New York authorities in an investigation involving city lawyers, cops and detectives from New York Police Department and other agencies, disclosed that nearly "four dozen individuals" have been charged after a 21-month investigation, where counterfeit credit cards were used to steal money.  Queens District Attorney, Richard A. Brown, joined by Police Commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, on Thursday announced the indictment and busting of 45 people in the international forged credit card and identity theft ring based in the New York metropolitan area "with roots in Nigeria."

Detailing the operation of the crime rings, however, District Attorney and the New York Police Commissioner said they comprise of three separate identity theft and forged credit card groups that employ multiple cells that are "alleged to have been responsible for stealing the credit cards and personal credit information of thousands of American and Canadian consumers, costing these individuals, as well as financial institutions and retail businesses, more than $12 million in losses over the past year alone."

District Attorney Brown said: "In terms of just the sheer number of people indicted - this is one of the largest identity theft networks uncovered in recent history and is just possibly the tip of a much larger global credit card trafficking operation."

He added that "technological advances have made it increasingly easier to carry out identity theft and fraud - two of the fastest growing crimes in the US and which afflicts millions of victims and costs billions of dollars in losses to consumers, businesses and financial institutions."