Uk Hacker Launches Attacks on Caribbean Banks

A recent spate of digital attacks has been launched on Caribbean Banks in Trinidad and Tobago. First Citizens Online one of the country’s leading banks, has been targeted by a notorious European Based hacker. Several citizens of Trinidad and Tobago who use online banking have become victims of this crime, and seen thousands of TTD (Trinidad and Tobago Dollars) been mysteriously transferred to an anonymous foreign receiver.

Victims have one thing in common, all of whom are members of facebook, and belong to a Group named – Digital Investment Opportunities.

Dave Maharaj from Freeport, which is a central village in the Country, has been using online banking for only just 6 months when he had fallen victim to this online scam. When I interviewed him over the phone Stephen said:

“I only just signed up to use the First Citizens Online Banking Service just a few months ago, I used to check my account balances online and manage my bills and payments, I only joined facebook to connect with friends and family, and saw that someone sent me an invitation to join a group named Digital Investment Opportunities on Facebook, I thought it was my one of my family or friends that send the invitation so I joined the group, and then I was asked to install some software so that I could be able to keep track of the group, I installed the software and just a few days later I realized that I couldn’t use my bank card to pay for something at the grocery. I called up the Bank and they told me that I had just transferred, 7000 dollars to somebody in France, to a French Bank Account. But I don’t know anyone in France. I got back home and looked at my computer, and realized that what I had installed was remote control software, so that somebody had recorded and logged into my PC and transferred all my money somewhere else, this is bad, because we are already in recession and christmas is coming soon, and I don’t know how I am going to survive this christmas, I reported the matter to the police, but they said they don’t have the technology to deal with this type of crime in the country, I don’t know what I am going to do”

Enquiries to the Bank have been futile with the Public Relations and Advertising Manager claiming that thay have received reports and are putting security systems in place to combat this type of crime.