MOSCOW, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A stolen database packed with personal information has led to an increase of extortion attempts on cell phone users in Russia, the Moscow Times said Monday.
Most recently, an unidentified senior government official was targeted by the cons, who called him to say his son had struck and killed a pedestrian while driving drunk. The caller demanded $30,000 to keep the son out of jail, and said he would call back with instructions in five minutes.
The official immediately called the organized crime unit of the city police, who instructed him to go along with the request.
At the bar where the money exchange took place, police arrested three men, who claimed they were only being paid to pick up the money. A fourth man is being sought as the ringleader.
In January 2003, the national cell phone operator Mobile TeleSystems reported a database with the names, addresses, home phone numbers, passport details, individual tax numbers and other personal information of about 5 million subscribers had been stolen and was being sold on the black market.
