AP on trashing/computer fraud ring

[cman@communities.com (Douglas Barnes)]

Although I generally agree that capturing information online has
certain advantages to the criminal over going through the trash,
that certainly didn't stop this bunch.

Doug [wondering if this will affect the market for home shredders]

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        ATLANTA (AP) -- Thirty people have been charged in a $10 million
fraud scheme that involved counterfeiting checks, bank statements
and credit card receipts pulled out of the trash.
        ``What we're finding is people are getting more and more clever
with what they pull out of the trash,'' U.S. Attorney Kent
Alexander said. ``This is the most clever scam I've ever seen.''
        The defendants, who defrauded people in 17 states, used checks,
bank statements, credit card receipts and other documents from
garbage bins to create counterfeit checks, false driver's licenses
and false credit reports, Alexander said.
        Investigators said software was used to rub out information on
the discarded paper. Counterfeit blank checks, printed on
high-quality color printers, were allegedly used to defraud banks
of $2 million.
        A core group of about eight people moved the operation to
Atlanta from New Jersey five years ago because they thought it
would be easy to take advantage of Southerners, the prosecutor
said.
        Of the 30 people charged, 24 have pleaded guilty, Alexander
said. Twelve of the 24 have been sentenced to jail terms of up to
eight years and restitution of up to $218,070.