Nearly 5,000 Asian Texans targeted by Chinese identity theft group
By Carl Samson
Around 4,800 individuals have fallen victim to an identity theft scam that targeted Asian Americans in Texas, the state’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced last week.
The agency first learned about the scheme last December but did not alert victims as it carried out investigations and arrests. In February, officials announced that at least 3,000 driver’s licenses had been affected.
Authorities previously described the perpetrators as “a Chinese organized crime group based in New York working in a number of different states.” They said the group did not hack government websites but exploited vulnerabilities in the state’s main portal, Texas.gov.
According to officials, the fraudsters allegedly targeted Asians from various backgrounds to find similar names and “look-alikes” to aid Chinese nationals who are living illegally in the U.S.
The group’s scheme begins with pulling a victim’s personal data from the dark web and using that data to answer password security questions on Texas.gov. They then use stolen credit cards to order copies of active licenses, such as those that have been reported missing or stolen.
DPS spokesperson Travis Considine said the department sent its second round of letters to those affected by the scam, which has now ballooned to 4,800.
“I think that’s awesome,” Ping Du, a victim, told the Dallas Morning News. “Not everyone is necessarily fluent in English so if they are sending out letters in [a] language other than English, that would help reach more folks who really need this information.”
Du has obtained a new driver’s license through an expedited process. However, he still gets calls from his bank about malicious attempts to access his account.
According to the DPS, “several subjects” have already been identified as part of the scheme.
At least four states and the FBI are investigating the case.
Those who believe they were targeted are urged to report their case at www.iwatchtx.org. Meanwhile, those seeking more information on identity theft can visit the Texas Attorney General’s website.
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