Police training helps teen tearaway turn hacker

A TEENAGE young offender who was sent on a computer training course as part of a police rehabilitation program has used his new skills to hack into internet banking accounts and steal nearly £20,000.

According to Kiwi Dominion Post, the 16-year-old faced 26 fraud charges over hacking incidents that took place in August and September.

The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, posted a computer virus on an Internet message board and used it to capture details from people's personal computers.

He took in punters from Westpac, ANZ and ASB banks with the biggest transaction involved $US6323. About £5,000 has been recovered. It had all been sent to the bank accounts of several co-offenders, who were also up before the beak.

The scam has caused some head scratching among the Kiwi bankers who are wondering how their super-secure system could be taken down by a 16 year-old unemployed oik. Those computer training courses run by the coppers must be pretty good.

The youth has also admitted unrelated charges of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, threatening behaviour, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, reckless driving, failing to stop and a string of driving offences. The nice young chap also owes about £10,000 in fines. µ

L'INQ
Sydney Morning Herald