Computer Fraud Diverts American Child Support Payments To Thailand

[sriracha john]

Attorney General investigating vulnerability in child support program

The Texas Attorney General's Office set up a debit card program to make it easier for parents to pay and collect child support.

However, the program apparently has also made it easier for at least one person in Thailand to steal a San Antonio mother's money.

Bonnie Johns was taking her 11-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter to the movies Friday, and tried to use her debit card from the child support program to pay for it.

"They swiped my card to pay for the tickets, and they said it was denied," Johns said.

She knew the children's father had just made a deposit, but the theater denied the card.

"I got back to the house, and looked on the computer, and there were 30 transactions in a bank in Thailand. And I had no money. I had $1.82 left," Johns said.

The account shows the thief tried to get to the money 29 times between Sept. 22 and Sept. 29, then finally succeeded.

"On a regular bank account card if you swipe five times or so, your bank will either call you or deactivate it. This was swiped 25 times in one date, and then it kept going on. They did the 23rd, 24th, 25th," Johns said.

Officials at the attorney general's office told Johns someone had duplicated her card, and they cancelled it.

As soon as the attorney general's office learned there was an account that was compromised, they launched an investigation and moved quickly to restore the funds that were in that account, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office said in an e-mailed statement.

Officials also said they are working to make sure this doesn't happen in the future.

- San Antonio Express-News (Texas, USA)

[taxexile]

...... and people still wonder how a tightening of visa regs could possibly benefit thailand.

[A_Traveller]

...... and people still wonder how a tightening of visa regs could possibly benefit thailand.

Assuming the perpetrator is a foreigner of course. One might care to note that the majority of cyber-crime activity here is perpetrated by Thai citizens.

Regards

[taxexile]

Assuming the perpetrator is a foreigner of course. One might care to note that the majority of cyber-crime activity here is perpetrated by Thai citizens.

fair point .