Police arrest alleged serial email hacker
Jul 04, 2011
THE Police have arrested a man for allegedly hacking into several e-mail accounts and stealthily withdrawing huge sums of money sent to the owners through international money transfer agencies.
By Steven Candia and Edwin Kiggundu
THE Police have arrested a man for allegedly hacking into several e-mail accounts and stealthily withdrawing huge sums of money sent to the owners through international money transfer agencies.
Peter Gashum, whom the Police described as a serial hacker, was arrested on Friday and paraded before journalists yesterday at the Kampala Central Police Station.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, deputy Kampala Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said Gashum was arrested after he hacked into an account and was attempting to withdraw the money from Diamond Trust Bank Western Union branch.
To access the money, Gashum would hack into his victims e-mail accounts to access vital data, including the test question and the answer required by the recipient.
He would also forge voters’ cards with the victims’ names, which he would then present as proof of identification before withdrawing the money.
Ssenkumbi said Gashum, 34, a resident of Mbuya, a city suburb, was arrested while trying to steal $920 (about sh2.3m) sent to Tom Musoloza.
Ssenkumbi said investigations showed that prior to the incident, Gashum had also been involved in two other fraudulent transactions at the same bank, stealing $700 (about sh1.8m) and $1,200 (about sh3.1m).
The money belonged to two victims.
The Police suspect Gashum had inside help from an employee at the bank.
Ssenkumbi said Gashum would be charged with forgery, attempting to obtain money by false pretence and uttering a false document.
THE Police have arrested a man for allegedly hacking into several e-mail accounts and stealthily withdrawing huge sums of money sent to the owners through international money transfer agencies.
Peter Gashum, whom the Police described as a serial hacker, was arrested on Friday and paraded before journalists yesterday at the Kampala Central Police Station.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, deputy Kampala Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said Gashum was arrested after he hacked into an account and was attempting to withdraw the money from Diamond Trust Bank Western Union branch.
To access the money, Gashum would hack into his victims e-mail accounts to access vital data, including the test question and the answer required by the recipient.
He would also forge voters’ cards with the victims’ names, which he would then present as proof of identification before withdrawing the money.
Ssenkumbi said Gashum, 34, a resident of Mbuya, a city suburb, was arrested while trying to steal $920 (about sh2.3m) sent to Tom Musoloza.
Ssenkumbi said investigations showed that prior to the incident, Gashum had also been involved in two other fraudulent transactions at the same bank, stealing $700 (about sh1.8m) and $1,200 (about sh3.1m).
The money belonged to two victims.
The Police suspect Gashum had inside help from an employee at the bank.
Ssenkumbi said Gashum would be charged with forgery, attempting to obtain money by false pretence and uttering a false document.