Latest news with #JamesByrne
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Authorities launch NYC crackdown on credit-card-skim rings responsible for $18B in stolen money: ‘People are coming for you'
Authorities cracking down on national organized-crime rings swiping $18 billion a year through ATM card-skimming have now turned their sights on aiding Big Apple victims. The US Secret Service, which investigates financial crimes along with protecting the president, started the crackdown in California last year because of the staggering problem and has now expanded to team up with a new NYPD task force to try to thwart the criminals better here. 'It's billions of dollars [stolen] annually across the nation, so that jumps off the page by any metric,' Secret Service spokesman James Byrne told The Post on Wednesday, as the New York City initiative was rolled out. 'That's the impetus for it.' The feds launched 'Operation Flagship' after the US Department of Agriculture and credit-card carriers detected such theft involving the government's food-assistance, or Electronic Benefits Transfer, cards. The skimming devices can be installed on top of the ATM and remotely steal PIN numbers and other data from the user's card use the information to steal the money. Scammers simply attack the device using double-sided tape. Thieves can also install tiny cameras in the ATMs that grab images of the PIN number on a card. In the Big Apple, the rings primarily target the poorest neighborhoods, authorities said. 'Unfortunately, they're targeting people who really need the money the most, and that's why this problem is really blowing up in the city,' NYPD Detective James Lilla said. 'They'll come in, distract the teller, the [skimming] device will go on. It can take 2 to 4 seconds to install the device.' 'They're targeting, particularly, for EBT cash benefits,' said Lilla, who is assigned to work with the Secret Service. 'So, [it's] direct access for those victims, because those cards are not chip-protected. They're able to get direct access and a monthly income coming in for the money.' The devices steal an average of $300,000 per skimming device — and $1,000 for each person targeted, authorities said. The joint federal task force focused on bodegas and small markets in Brooklyn on Wednesday and plans to hit locations this week to look for skimmers. 'It's a message to folks that are doing these crimes,' said Patrick Freaney, Secret Service special agent in charge of the agency's New York office, to The Post. 'People are coming for you.' Secret Service agent Michael Peck said, 'They are taking the terminals that you see in stores visually, and they are fitting these skimmers so perfectly that the average eye doesn't catch them.' 'You have to know specifically how to feel for them, or you have to look for other triggers,' he added. 'Maybe glue, maybe a piece of tape and maybe fake seals.' The task force uses a high-tech approach to track down the scamming ATMs, which triangulates data from the USDA, credit card companies and local law enforcement to catch the crooks. 'It's definitely organized crime that's doing this,' Peck said.
New York Post
21-05-2025
- New York Post
Authorities launch NYC crackdown on credit-card-skim rings: ‘People are coming for you'
Authorities cracking down on national organized-crime rings swiping $18 billion a year through ATM card-skimming have now turned their sights on aiding Big Apple victims. The US Secret Service, which investigates financial crimes along with protecting the president, started the crackdown in California last year because of the staggering problem and has now expanded to team up with a new NYPD task force to try to thwart the criminals better here. 'It's billions of dollars [stolen] annually across the nation, so that jumps off the page by any metric,' Secret Service spokesman James Byrne told The Post on Wednesday, as the New York City initiative was rolled out. Advertisement 3 The NYPD and the US Secret Service announced Operation Flagship, which targets ATM crooks in the city. Paul Martinka for the NYPost 'That's the impetus for it.' The feds launched 'Operation Flagship' after the US Department of Agriculture and credit-card carriers detected such theft involving the government's food-assistance, or Electronic Benefits Transfer, cards. The skimming devices can be installed on top of the ATM and remotely steal PIN numbers and other data from the user's card use the information to steal the simply attack the device using double-sided tape. Thieves can also install tiny cameras in the ATMs that grab images of the PIN number on a card. Advertisement In the Big Apple, the rings primarily target the poorest neighborhoods, authorities said. 'Unfortunately, they're targeting people who really need the money the most, and that's why this problem is really blowing up in the city,' NYPD Detective James Lilla said. 'They'll come in, distract the teller, the [skimming] device will go on. It can take 2 to 4 seconds to install the device. 'They're targeting, particularly, for EBT cash benefits,' said Lilla, who is assigned to work with the Secret Service. 'So, [it's] direct access for those victims, because those cards are not chip-protected. They're able to get direct access and a monthly income coming in for the money.' 3 The US Secret Service said ATM skimming is an $18 billion underground industry in the country, including in New York. Paul Martinka for the NYPost Advertisement The devices steal an average of $300,000 per skimming device — and $1,000 for each person targeted, authorities said. The joint federal task force focused on bodegas and small markets in Brooklyn on Wednesday and plans to hit locations this week to look for skimmers. 'It's a message to folks that are doing these crimes,' said Patrick Freaney, Secret Service special agent in charge of the agency's New York office, to The Post. 'People are coming for you.' Secret Service agent Michael Peck said, 'They are taking the terminals that you see in stores visually, and they are fitting these skimmers so perfectly that the average eye doesn't catch them. Advertisement 3 ATM scammers target New York's poorest because public assistance cards are the easiest to hack into, authorities said. Paul Martinka for the NYPost 'You have to know specifically how to feel for them, or you have to look for other triggers,' he added. 'Maybe glue, maybe a piece of tape and maybe fake seals.' The task force uses a high-tech approach to track down the scamming ATMs, which triangulates data from the USDA, credit card companies and local law enforcement to catch the crooks. 'it's definitely organized crime that's doing this,' Peck said.
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
US to seek UN sanctions on ships taking North Korean coal to China
May 7 - The United States said on Wednesday it plans to call for U.N. sanctions against vessels identified as taking part in circumvention of United Nations resolutions to combat North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The British-based Open Source Centre issued a report on Wednesday saying that in the past year it had tracked a number of non-Korean flagged vessels transporting North Korean coal and iron ore to ports in China, in violation of U.N. sanctions. Speaking at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, James Byrne, director of the Open Source Centre, identified several vessels, including the Tanzanian-flagged Armani and Sophia, the falsely-flagged Cartier and Casio, and the unflagged Yi Li 1 and An Yu. Byrne said the vessels had started engaging in sophisticated "spoofing" techniques, such as by presenting digital tracks to indicate they were in other countries, when satellite imagery showed them loading in North Korea. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea said the Security Council would continue to highlight sanctions violations despite Russia's veto last year of the mandate of the panel of experts that monitored such violations on behalf of the U.N.'s 1718 Committee on North Korea. "In the coming days, we plan to nominate for designation in the 1718 Committee vessels clearly identified in the briefing to which Mr. Byrne referred for violations of U.N. sanctions restrictions," she said. Shea accused Russia of "cynically obstructing" sanctions implementation, including though importation of North Korean missiles and shells for use in its war in Ukraine. She accused Chinese authorities of "looking the other way" as Chinese companies import North Korean coal and iron ore, even though Beijing insists it fully implements the U.N. resolutions. Geng Shuang, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, said China rejected U.S. "accusations and smearing" and charged that Washington was using the North Korea issue as a pretext for strategic military deployments that jeopardized the security interests of regional countries, including China. Russian U.N. ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed criticism of its relationship and cooperation with North Korea, saying it was Moscow's sovereign right and that Russia was "very grateful to our Korean brothers for the assistance they've extended to us." North Korea's U.N. ambassador Kim Song accused the United States of "high-handedness and arbitrariness" that should not be tolerated by the international community.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US to seek UN sanctions on ships taking North Korean coal to China
(Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it plans to call for U.N. sanctions against vessels identified as taking part in circumvention of United Nations resolutions to combat North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The British-based Open Source Center issued a report on Wednesday saying that in the past year it had tracked a number of non-Korean flagged vessels transporting North Korean coal and iron ore to ports in China, in violation of U.N. sanctions. Speaking at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, James Byrne, director of the Open Source Network, identified several vessels, including the Tanzanian-flagged Armani and Sophia, the falsely-flagged Cartier and Casio, and the unflagged Yi Li 1 and An Yu. Byrne said the vessels had started engaging in sophisticated "spoofing" techniques, such as by presenting digital tracks to indicate they were in other countries, when satellite imagery showed them loading in North Korea. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea said the Security Council would continue to highlight sanctions violations despite Russia's veto last year of the mandate of the panel of experts that monitored such violations on behalf of the U.N.'s 1718 Committee on North Korea. "In the coming days, we plan to nominate for designation in the 1718 Committee vessels clearly identified in the briefing to which Mr. Byrne referred for violations of U.N. sanctions restrictions," she said. Shea accused Russia of "cynically obstructing" sanctions implementation, including though importation of North Korean missiles and shells for use in its war in Ukraine. She accused Chinese authorities of "looking the other way" as Chinese companies import North Korean coal and iron ore, even though Beijing insists it fully implements the U.N. resolutions. Geng Shuang, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, said China rejected U.S. "accusations and smearing" and charged that Washington was using the North Korea issue as a pretext for strategic military deployments that jeopardized the security interests of regional countries, including China. Russian U.N. ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed criticism of its relationship and cooperation with North Korea, saying it was Moscow's sovereign right and that Russia was "very grateful to our Korean brothers for the assistance they've extended to us." North Korea's U.N. ambassador Kim Song accused the United States of "high-handedness and arbitrariness" that should not be tolerated by the international community. (Reporting by David Brunnstromm, editing by Deepa Babington)
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US to seek UN sanctions on ships taking North Korean coal to China
May 7 (Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it plans to call for U.N. sanctions against vessels identified as taking part in circumvention of United Nations resolutions to combat North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The British-based Open Source Center issued a report on Wednesday, opens new tab saying that in the past year it had tracked a number of non-Korean flagged vessels transporting North Korean coal and iron ore to ports in China, in violation of U.N. sanctions. Speaking at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, James Byrne, director of the Open Source Network, identified several vessels, including the Tanzanian-flagged Armani and Sophia, the falsely-flagged Cartier and Casio, and the unflagged Yi Li 1 and An Yu. Byrne said the vessels had started engaging in sophisticated "spoofing" techniques, such as by presenting digital tracks to indicate they were in other countries, when satellite imagery showed them loading in North Korea. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea said the Security Council would continue to highlight sanctions violations despite Russia's veto last year of the mandate of the panel of experts that monitored such violations on behalf of the U.N.'s 1718 Committee on North Korea. "In the coming days, we plan to nominate for designation in the 1718 Committee vessels clearly identified in the briefing to which Mr. Byrne referred for violations of U.N. sanctions restrictions," she said. Shea accused Russia of "cynically obstructing" sanctions implementation, including though importation of North Korean missiles and shells for use in its war in Ukraine. She accused Chinese authorities of "looking the other way" as Chinese companies import North Korean coal and iron ore, even though Beijing insists it fully implements the U.N. resolutions. Geng Shuang, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, said China rejected U.S. "accusations and smearing" and charged that Washington was using the North Korea issue as a pretext for strategic military deployments that jeopardized the security interests of regional countries, including China. Russian U.N. ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed criticism of its relationship and cooperation with North Korea, saying it was Moscow's sovereign right and that Russia was "very grateful to our Korean brothers for the assistance they've extended to us." North Korea's U.N. ambassador Kim Song accused the United States of "high-handedness and arbitrariness" that should not be tolerated by the international community.
