KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Six people who were arrested last week in connection with a multi-million dollar cyber attack on the account of a customer of the National Commercial Bank, have been charged.
According to Dane Nicholson, Head of the Anti-Fraud Committee of the Jamaica Banker’s Association, the suspects who were charged last Thursday are booked to appear in court this week.
They have been charged with the offences of Conspiracy to Defraud, breaches of the Cybercrime Act, engaging in the Proceeds of Criminal Property and Money Laundering.
The six suspects were detained by detectives on Wednesday during a series of coordinated-targeted operations spanning six locations across four parishes-St Elizabeth, Clarendon, St Catherine and Kingston.
They have been accused of being involved in a smishing scam which targets the accounts of individuals in various financial institutions.
Investigators alleged that the suspects targeted the account of an elderly NCB customer and stole US$45,000 and J$7.4 million. They then allegedly distributed the funds to a number of beneficiaries using a sophisticated smishing scam.
The attacks are alleged to have taken place in March last year.
Smishing is a cyber-attack that uses fake mobile text messages to trick people into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending money to cyber-criminals.