Massive ID theft ring alleged Civil Aviation Safety Authority medical certificates
Mal
included possessing implements to make Australian visas; birth certificates;
Queensland, NSW and Victorian driver's licences; and Civil Aviation Safety
Authority medical certificates.
Massive ID theft ring alleged
Natalie O'Brien and Jonathan Porter
November 5, 2004
A CARELESS mistake by someone dropping a case of CDs allegedly containing
forged documents used to create fake identities has led police to crack one
of the largest and most sophisticated identity fraud rings in the country.
Police will allege the computer disks containing templates for Medicare
cards, driver's licences and even Australian visas were found at a bus stop
in Sydney's inner western suburb of Ashfield.
A good Samaritan handed in the disks as lost property, sparking a major
investigation by the Identity Crime Taskforce.
NSW Fraud Squad commander Detective-Superintendent Col Dyson alleged
yesterday it was the most organised, professional racket ever uncovered.
"This is certainly the largest operation of this type we've ever come across
in Australia," he said.
State and federal police raided five properties across Sydney this week,
including a graphic artist's office in the inner western suburb of
Alexandria and a commercial printing operation.
They seized thousands of blank letterheads for some of the country's biggest
institutions, including the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, AGC, Bank of
Melbourne, Telstra and Energy Australia.
Federal agent Craig Mann said the alleged forgeries had a potential value of
$50 million but the extent and reach of the organised crime operation was
not yet known.
Mr Mann said the seizure included every type of document needed for the
100-point identity check used by financial and government institutions.
He said the forgeries were of such high quality, with watermarks and
holograms, that a database would be needed to verify their authenticity.
Roger Soloman Hassin, 51, of Annandale, and David Soussan, 40, of Balmain
appeared in Central Local Court yesterday charged with a total of 234
offences between them relating to fraud and making false instruments.
The charges brought by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions
included possessing implements to make Australian visas; birth certificates;
Queensland, NSW and Victorian driver's licences; and Civil Aviation Safety
Authority medical certificates.
Also among the charges were possessing implements to make Australian
Taxation Office assessment notices and Medicare cards.
Mr Soussan also was charged with possessing devices to make forgeries:
rubber gloves, a laminating machine, a printer and scalpel set. Neither man
applied for bail. Magistrate Alan Moore remanded both men in custody. Mr
Hassin will reappear in court for mention on December 15, while Mr Soussan's
lawyer, William O'Brien, said his client would make a bail application on
Wednesday.
The Australian
Stealth Pilot
prove the case, allow for appeals, then death penalty.
we are far too soft on the sort of crime that shakes confidence in the
mechanisms inherent in our way of life.
Stealth Pilot
Coop
That *particular* combination of identity and financial documents,
combined with the name of the offender, is very disturbing. I'm not
normally one to support the death penalty, but I know where you are
coming from on this one, Stealth.
Could be we pilots will see even more security efforts coming our way....
Coop
Stealth Pilot
<vh...@chariotnose.netwheel.au> wrote:
>>>Mr Soussan also was charged with possessing devices to make forgeries:
>>>rubber gloves, a laminating machine, a printer and scalpel set. Neither man
>>>applied for bail. Magistrate Alan Moore remanded both men in custody. Mr
>>>Hassin will reappear in court for mention on December 15, while Mr Soussan's
>>>lawyer, William O'Brien, said his client would make a bail application on
>>>Wednesday.
>>>
>>>The Australian
>>>
>>>
>>
>> prove the case, allow for appeals, then death penalty.
>> we are far too soft on the sort of crime that shakes confidence in the
>> mechanisms inherent in our way of life.
>> Stealth Pilot
>>
>
>That *particular* combination of identity and financial documents,
>combined with the name of the offender, is very disturbing. I'm not
>normally one to support the death penalty, but I know where you are
>coming from on this one, Stealth.
> Could be we pilots will see even more security efforts coming our way....
>
>Coop
they will be a total waste of time coop.
legitimate licenced australian pilots will never be the problem.
it is they who have no respect for the freedoms of our way of life.
Stealth Pilot
Coop
Yeah, I know. Won't stop them from introducing more "security" measures
tho'- they have to be seen to be doing something....
Coop
fcuk'n
"Stealth Pilot" <tail...@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:4thmo01sjhbfdjqhs...@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 01:57:03 GMT, "Mal" <ab...@bigpond.net.au> wrote:
> >The charges brought by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions
> >included possessing implements to make Australian visas; birth certificates;
> >Queensland, NSW and Victorian driver's licences; and Civil Aviation Safety
> >Authority medical certificates.
> >Massive ID theft ring alleged
> >Natalie O'Brien and Jonathan Porter
> >November 5, 2004
> >A CARELESS mistake by someone dropping a case of CDs allegedly containing
> >forged documents used to create fake identities has led police to crack one
> >of the largest and most sophisticated identity fraud rings in the country.
> prove the case, allow for appeals, then death penalty.
> we are far too soft on the sort of crime that shakes confidence in the
> mechanisms inherent in our way of life.
> Stealth Pilot
IAW Stealth Pilot, wholeheartedly!
fk'n