IDs sold for 50p each on net

Crooks are trading stolen IDs and bank account information for as little as 50p in cyber crime supermarkets.Everything from bank account details to e-mail passwords are on offer at the blackmarket forums, a report out today says.Prices range from as little as 50p to upwards of £500, depending on the size of the bank account.

Some packages are even bundled together in buy-one-get-one-free bargains and personal identities are often bought in bulk on the websites.The most popular items are bank accounts, credit cards and IDs, according to the report by internet security company Symantec.

It said British IDs and accounts are particularly popular as they allow criminals to cross borders and operate from anywhere within Europe – they cost up to 50 per cent more than US identities.Many details are gained by 'phishing' e-mails where users unwittingly provide internetinformation to criminals posing as banks or government agencies.

Lee Sharrocks, from Symantec, said: 'The underground economy market for stolen online consumer data is continuing to grow.'There is also an obvious shift in focus from attacks targeted at instant financial gain versus those aimed at obtaining identity information from consumers in pursuit of longer term rewards.'

Source: Metro London

Princes welcome Diana death verdict

Princes William and Harry are hoping that the long-awaited conclusion of the inquest into their mother's death will put an end to speculation she was murdered.
The young royals said they agreed with the jury's verdict that Diana, Princess of Wales died because of gross negligence by both her driver Henri Paul and pursuing paparazzi.
Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens, whose Paget inquiry investigated the conspiracy theories, said he hoped Diana and her lover Dodi Fayed would be allowed to rest in peace.

But Dodi's father, Mohamed al Fayed, expressed his disappointment at the verdicts and his spokesman made clear he could still mount a legal challenge.
Thanking the jury, William and Harry said in a statement: "We agree with their verdicts, and are both hugely grateful to each and every one of them for the forbearance they have shown in accepting such significant disruption to their lives over the past six months."
Meanwhile, Diana's former butler Paul Burrell is waiting to learn whether he will face a police perjury investigation after allegedly lying to the inquest.
Scotland Yard refused to confirm whether it planned to launch an inquiry, but the Crown Prosecution Service said it would examine any police file on the matter presented to it.
In a statement issued moments after the jury's decision, Mr al Fayed described the verdicts as both a vindication of his conspiracy theories and a "blow to the many millions of people around the world who have supported my struggle".
He insisted the hearing, held largely at his behest, was not a waste of time or money.
During his summing up, the Coroner had said there was "not a shred of evidence" to back up Mr al Fayed's claims. Although he ruled out the possibility of a verdict which would have pointed to a murder plot, the jury went further by pinning the blame partly on one of Mr al Fayed's employees.

Source: Metro London