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Pluto D Nicosia / Pluto Data
drags on .. and on ...

Incredibly, despite over 55,000 unique viewers (the vast majority anonymous coming from a google search from the company name) the Pluto D Nicosia charge saga continues, with people finding charges as recently as last week, and even double-hits: finding new charges on NEWLY ISSUED CARDS.

Given the traffic to our little forum topic this is the mother of all fraudulent credit card charge scams. If 50,000 people are finding the topic via google there are surely many more who have been hit with a sub thirty buck charge and not even realized it, or have, but have not searched google for information on the company. That is a serious bank heist if done with shotguns at a bank vault: millions in fraudulent charging? You can find old news articles here (feb) and here (march). The latest pleas for help are in the last few pages of the topic linked at the top of this news snip.

We have to wonder: where is the mass media on this. Why are the feds, who were supposed to be investigating it, so far apparently failed to stop the continuing charges?
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tdumaine
Premium Member
join:2004-03-14
Seattle, WA

tdumaine

Premium Member

Slow

Government = slow
RavenTKR
join:2003-05-12
Cleveland, OH

1 edit

RavenTKR

Member

Re: Slow

I would say they're busy doing the bidding for MPAA/RIAA. I wonder why they prioritize copyright infringement violators instead of credit card theft. Because of the influence RIAA/MPAA wields in Congress and to our politicians.

Tomek
Premium Member
join:2002-01-30
Valley Stream, NY

Tomek

Premium Member

Re: Slow

Don't forget Gov/ISP ignorance in the matters of zombie PCs and spam.
But as You said, MPAA/RIAA has fatter wallets, than spam/DDOS victims.

SixSpeed
join:2001-12-24
USA

1 recommendation

SixSpeed to RavenTKR

Member

to RavenTKR
said by RavenTKR:

I would say they're busy doing the bidding for MPAA/RIAA. I wonder why they prioritize copyright infringement violators for credit card theft. Because of the influence RIAA/MPAA wields in Congress and to our politicians.
If the lobbyists are not filling the politicians and law makers pockets, there is no concern. If Pluto D Nicosa hired a lobbyist firm and paid off enough lawmakers, he could make this kind of scam perfectly legal and have the victims tossed in jail for questioning the charges.
RavenTKR
join:2003-05-12
Cleveland, OH

RavenTKR

Member

Re: Slow

This scenario sounds a little bit far fetched, but who knows?
91439306 (banned)
15,000 Watts of Bass Power
join:2002-10-16
New Milford, CT

91439306 (banned)

Member

Re: Slow

The issue here is that a credit clearing house (one that warehouses your personal data and the date of millions of American citizens who use credit) had their database compromised by unscrupulous customers who bought access to that data by posing as legitimate creditors/merchant account holders.
This was not reported as a zombie/phishing attack. It was social engineering that occured, according to the reports I've read.
What will have to happen is either stricter control over whom the clearing houses like ChoicePoint Data accept as clients, or the removal of the ability of companies like that to maintain databases of personal information. Since the latter is unlikely, I'd expect that this could happen again.
Kip patterson
Premium Member
join:2000-10-23
Columbus, OH

Kip patterson

Premium Member

Re: Slow

Choicepoint is NOT a credit card clearing house. There is no reason to think that the Choicepoint scam has any thing to do with Pluto.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

fireflier

Premium Member

Re: Slow

Perhaps not, but Choicepoint is a proof of concept that this kind of information can be obtained by unauthorized persons.
jjp4345
join:2005-03-22
Montgomery, AL

jjp4345 to SixSpeed

Member

to SixSpeed
The small companies and individuals do not have lobbyists, so their interests are of no concern to the Federal Government and Congress. One need only look at the aviation problem after 9/11 to see that. A senior aide to Trasnportation Security Administrator was quoted as saying on September 23, 2002, "Neither TSA nor the Federal Government is interested in any technology to prevent the hijacking of aircraft." Makes you wonder where he was on 9/11. Also, most of the members of Congress say "the reason new technologies to prevent the hijacking of aircraft, like SRTA001, are not being funded is the American public is not asking for them to be funded." Did you know you had to ask the Federal Government and Congress to protect you?

Wills9
join:2001-01-03
Port Charlotte, FL

Wills9

Member

Re: Slow

Yes, you have to ask the Federal Government to protect you, because if they just step in to take the appropriate action you all bitch about more big brother....

Make up your damn minds.

downtownman
@phl1.dsl.speakeasy.n

downtownman

Anon

Re: Slow

Yes, you have to ask the Federal Government to protect you, because if they just step in to take the appropriate action you all bitch about more big brother....

Make up your damn minds.
It's the difference between having the cops chase down the people that ripped you off, or following you around 24-7 just because...you have a shaved head, goatee and tatoos.
RavenTKR
join:2003-05-12
Cleveland, OH

RavenTKR to SixSpeed

Member

to SixSpeed
They could indeed hire a lobbyist firm with the money they stole.

megarock
join:2001-06-28
Fenton, MO

megarock to SixSpeed

Member

to SixSpeed
Sad but true.
cahiatt
Premium Member
join:2001-03-21
Smyrna, GA

cahiatt to tdumaine

Premium Member

to tdumaine
said by tdumaine:

Government = slow
Unless you're on a feeding tube...
RavenTKR
join:2003-05-12
Cleveland, OH

RavenTKR

Member

Re: Slow

I was under the impression that there are such thing as "separation of powers" and "separation of church and state".
Congress sure blew it this time, and it's only a matter of time before that law that was passed late Sunday would be declared unconstitutional by the courts.
Although It would be great if the people in Congress would act this fast to pass a law that isn't geared toward a single individual.

wah wah wah
@sonnet.com

wah wah wah

Anon

Re: Slow

Has anyone bothered to read the Schiavo law, and say which part of it they think is 'unconstitutional?'

It's a law that allows a legal challenge to be brought in federal court. I doubt it will be found unconstitutional; the court may just decide that proper procedures have been followed in the case, and do nothing.

woody7
Premium Member
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

woody7

Premium Member

Re: Slow

said by wah wah wah:

Has anyone bothered to read the Schiavo law, and say which part of it they think is 'unconstitutional?'

It's a law that allows a legal challenge to be brought in federal court. I doubt it will be found unconstitutional; the court may just decide that proper procedures have been followed in the case, and do nothing.
what concerns me is that most Repubs are staunch states rightest, unless it is something that is contrary to their way of thinking...I just went through this with my father inlaws death....I honored his wishes, he had a living will , power of attorney....(Me)He had cancer through out his body with no chance what so ever of survival and I made sure that he was not plugged in,as per his wishes..... this has nothing to do with "Schiavo" it's all political....I am donating my organs if they are any good, should some one decide that isn't ok? I think not....and no it isn't different...

Combat Chuck
Too Many Cannibals
Premium Member
join:2001-11-29
Verona, PA

Combat Chuck

Premium Member

Re: Slow

said by woody7:

I am donating my organs if they are any good, should some one decide that isn't ok? I think not....and no it isn't different...
Please be aware that there is much much more to this case than anyone has reported. Not the least of which is that Mr. Schiavo suddenly remembered that Terri would want to die several (I believe 7) years after the whole thing started, almost immediately after having won money under the guise of wanting to take care of her for the rest of her life, and around the same time as he took on a girlfriend.

And that's not to mention the paramedics who suspected foul play, and how speech therapy and most outside contact (even TV and Radio background noise) was suddenly stopped once she got to the point where she was starting to form words.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

fireflier

Premium Member

Re: Slow

Might shed some objective light on things here:

»abstractappeal.com/schia ··· age.html

wah wah wah
@sonnet.com

wah wah wah to woody7

Anon

to woody7
I'd be interested in your explanation of exactly where it says in the U.S. Constitution that it is exclusively a "State's right" to issue orders that will directly result in the death of a person?

Death sentences are routinely appealed to the federal level; the U.S. Supreme Court just ordered that no minor may be executed any where in the United States. (Which I disagree with, but that is beside the point.)

How do you think this is any less of a case deserving of a federal hearing?

Steve
I know your IP address

join:2001-03-10
Tustin, CA

1 edit

Steve to RavenTKR

to RavenTKR
said by RavenTKR:

Congress sure blew it this time, and it's only a matter of time before that law that was passed late Sunday would be declared unconstitutional by the courts.
It is inconceivable that this decision will be struck down on that basis; the Constitution grants Congress the power to establish the Court system and set their juridictions, so this recent bill which grants the Federal Court jurisdiction is very squarely within Congressional purview.

It was rash, foolish, dangerous, sets a bad precedent, grandstanding, against state's rights, but it was not unconstitutional.

Steve

footballdude
Premium Member
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO

footballdude to RavenTKR

Premium Member

to RavenTKR
said by RavenTKR:

I was under the impression that there are such thing as "separation of powers" and "separation of church and state".
Congress creates the boundaries of the courts. Absolutely nothing unConstitutional about what they did with this Florida thing.

Separation of Church and State does not exist in the Constitution. The phrase comes from a personal letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to a friend that later became public knowledge. Most people that are proponents of this idea like to pretend that it is our law, but it isn't.

N10Cities
Premium Member
join:2002-05-07
0000000
Asus RT-AC87

1 edit

N10Cities to cahiatt

Premium Member

to cahiatt
said by cahiatt:

said by tdumaine:

Government = slow
Unless you're on a feeding tube...
Now you've done it!
»redwing.hutman.net/~mree ··· nade.htm

MrWhippit
You Big Dummy Gimmie Back My Bandwith
Premium Member
join:2002-04-04
Marlton, NJ

MrWhippit to tdumaine

Premium Member

to tdumaine
Maybe these Pluto guys are VERY SMART...lol

Wills9
join:2001-01-03
Port Charlotte, FL

Wills9

Member

Re: Slow

Or maybe, just maybe, the goverment IS looking into it, yet their investigation is still in it's early stages, and they don't want to kill the trail, but want to keep following it to the head.

Hence the reason the scam is still active.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

fireflier to tdumaine

Premium Member

to tdumaine
*putting on tinfoil hat* Maybe it IS the government that's behind this and they're doing it to reduce the deficit and that's why they're so slow to respond (note if I die in an "accident" in a few days, I guess we'll know). *removing tinfoil hat*

Joking aside, my guess as to why the media isn't jumping on it is because to the technically deficient, this is not too distinguishable from the multitude of other CC scams going on right now. I'm beginning to doubt the media can even understand the significance of this.

NunyaBidness
God Bless All Of Us
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Memphis, TN

NunyaBidness

Premium Member

pissed

I'm glad I don't have a credit card lol
cause I'd be really pissed

entropy1
Premium Member
join:2002-09-25

entropy1

Premium Member

Just Unbelieveable

Really

I've been reading this since the very first mention of it on here and am just stunned by how far it has gone. I have, fortunately, not been a victim yet. I'm hoping I won't become one. This whole thing just creeps me out. It's almost hard to comment on it because one doesn't know who the perpetrators are or if they are reading the comments etc. etc....

...pretty weird stuff here lately.

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

1 edit

oliphant

Premium Member

F-U Bank of America

Despite filing a timely claim and faxing in the requested form with all the details I knew along with copies of news articles and the like...those mother-Fers at Bank of America denied my claim saying they found no error. Needless to say I was completely pissed. I calmly asked when I called back, well where's proof of delivery, no good or service was ordered or received...how about a signature, and order...hell anything.

They don't care. Their investigators don't take calls only faxes and the customer no-service people in that department were baffled. They didn't understand and were apologetic but they don't make those decisions. So now I've sent letters to the Controller of the Currency and a few other state and Federal agencies as well as Visa corporate. But as customers we're screwed. The banks are dumb enough to let the fraud go and then screw their customers over and there is ZERO we can really do about it. I'm not about to go to small claims or anything over $30 which is Pluto D's whole plan.

F-U BofA, that $30 you stole just cost you 4 accounts (2 of which are my small business accounts) plus 2 credit accounts and a HELOC. I don't need your abuse...I got 1,000's of people dyin' to abuse me.

SOLdesign
Did I drink a shot of Irrational Whore?
Premium Member
join:2002-07-29
Woodland Hills, CA

SOLdesign

Premium Member

Re: Completely pissed...

thats really weird since other bofa account holders got their credit... I would print out the threads and dump them on some VPs desk and demand a refund or you are going to the state banking commission...

oliphant
I Have 8 Boobies
Premium Member
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA

oliphant

Premium Member

Re: Completely pissed...

I did. I faxed them copies of the thread (not the whole thing) plus the MSNBC article. And after I was denied I had called back to ask about it the woman I spoke with knew exactly who Pluto Data was and that she had filed tons of claims against them.

F BofA.

•••••

xNPC
As Usual, Have Nice Day
Premium Member
join:2000-11-08
Errington, BC
·Shaw
ARRIS TG3482

xNPC

Premium Member

govt is useless

Why are the feds, who were supposed to be investigating it, so far apparently failed to stop the continuing charges?

because no congressional member or relative of a congressional member has been charged fraudulently (yet)

and, until it hits home for them, don't expect to see any arrests or investigations anytime soon.

ewgny
join:2000-12-21
East Setauket, NY

ewgny

Member

To Busy

To busy fussing over Steroid use in MLB

•••••••

Safemaster
Premium Member
join:2004-01-18
Loxahatchee, FL

Safemaster

Premium Member

Feds

quote:
We have to wonder: where is the mass media on this. Why are the feds, who were supposed to be investigating it, so far apparently failed to stop the continuing charges?
Probably because they are getting their share of the pie.

••••

mythology
Premium Member
join:2002-10-16
Seneca, SC

1 edit

mythology

Premium Member

Hard work

In the words of our elected president.

"Its hard work and hard work takes time"

rsempell
join:2004-12-28
San Diego, CA

rsempell

Member

lying

some people have been billed by pluto data but a lot of people in thread were probably lying saying that they got billed but didn't. think of it this way, out of millions of people registered on this site why would a lot of them come out on the bandwagon and say "i go charged thirty dollars too" thats it! ya arent flaming pissed. crap i would. ha ha. anyways people have been billed i am not saying they haven't but it is funny to see people jump on the wagon. i haven't been charged yet, but if i do i will kill them. ha ha. Pluto Data is going down. sooner of layter.

fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium Member
join:2001-05-25
Limbo

fireflier

Premium Member

Re: lying

said by rsempell:

some people have been billed by pluto data but a lot of people in thread were probably lying saying that they got billed but didn't. think of it this way, out of millions of people registered on this site why would a lot of them come out on the bandwagon and say "i go charged thirty dollars too" thats it! ya arent flaming pissed. crap i would. ha ha. anyways people have been billed i am not saying they haven't but it is funny to see people jump on the wagon. i haven't been charged yet, but if i do i will kill them. ha ha. Pluto Data is going down. sooner of layter.
How would someone benefit from lying about it here?

If you have a credit card charge on your statement that says "Pluto D. Nicosia", it's probably not likely you're lying (since you can't actually go in and put that into the CC company system). If someone is lying, they won't be able to produce that charge on their bill and they'll be busted. Coming to DSLReports to report they've been scammed serves as no benefit to them.

Reporting it here isn't going to get their money back--reporting it to their CC company will but only if they confirm it was charged by who the customer claims and the CC company can easily determine that.
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

moonpuppy (banned)

Member

Seems they are finally noticing...

Here is the article (I saw it on TV) :
quote:
Authorities Investigating 'Pluto' Credit Card Charges
Credit Card Companies Aware Of Mystery Company's Charges

POSTED: 3:45 pm EST March 23, 2005

Has Pluto charged your credit card without you knowing?

Credit card customers nationwide caught a charge from a company they have never heard of, and authorities have opened an investigation into the charges, WVIT-TV in Hartford, Conn., reported.

Among your credit card purchases, you might not notice this one: $29.99 from a company called Pluto Data with a toll-free telephone number.

"I called the number and it was in a heavy foreign accent and you couldn't hardly make out what they were saying. So, then I got really suspicious," said Jamey Roe, a fraudulent charge victim.

Roe spotted the fraudulent charge on his credit card account two weeks ago. So did Christa Clark.

"It's scary now, too, because you think if they can get that, what about your Social Security number and stuff?" Clark said.

The victims appear to reside in virtually every state, using many different banks and types of cards, WVIT reported.

The Web site Broadband Reports lists comments from hundreds of scam victims wondering the same thing: What company is this?

The Secret Service and the FBI have opened a joint investigation into the charges, but they refused to comment on how widespread the fraud may be.

"People's first reaction is, 'Oh well, it's all that shopping you do online,' and this and that. But you're encouraged to do online banking. Everyone's information is out there somewhere," said Nancy Elizabeth Pellegrino, a fraudulent charge victim.

Neither Visa nor MasterCard could explain how the mystery company managed to get so many working credit card numbers. A Visa spokeswoman said they were aware of the problem.

Roe's bank, like most, did not hold him responsible for the bogus charge because he reported it immediately.

"Within a few minutes, they had the account canceled and started the process of issuing a new number and a new card," Roe said.

WVIT reported that they did not find any similarity between the victims -- some people shop online, some don't. Experts recommend checking credit card statements carefully.
Source: »www.thewbalchannel.com/m ··· ail.html

JasonTKD225
@230.xx.157.Dial1.Hou

JasonTKD225

Anon

Re: Seems they are finally noticing...

I got the charge too...and all I got from my bank was "we can't find any info on the company, have you tried calling their number, blah blah blah".

JudyS
@state.ny.us

JudyS

Anon

Strange advice from CitiBank

I discovered today a $29.99 charge from Pluto D Nicosia on my CitiBank card, the one I use for only on-line purchases.
Surprisingly, when I called CitiBank they told me that the Pluto company had already reimbursed the $29.99!
Very weird advice from the person at CitiBank's phonebank - she suggested I might want to keep the same card, and monitor my statements and charges very carefully for the next couple months. Dangerous and peculiar advice. I, of course, cancelled the card.
markww
join:2002-10-17
Houston, TX

markww

Member

Pluto D Nicosia Information to all comp users

Check to see if anyone has a folder that is in your My Network Connections from a unknown College or other connection not connected to your internet .

Also Check all logs in spware programs for key loggers Connected to key loggers and making computer calls.

SKYPE.NET was also found to have gotten money from my account too, which is in Londan England same time as to the Pluto Incident. I have nothing with Skype.net so figured the hackers or theives were using this as their internet telephone connection or into a connection to the Internet.

Found some info as to collins.est.edu which was trying to put a file into my computer into the network connections from Denmark.

Some of the Pluto stuff goes back to Denmark and also Cypress. IN NICOSIA CYPRESS there is a huge University of computer labs systems. ALSO If Im Not mistaken isnt ALQUEDA Based in Cypress too, where they had ships stolen about a year or so ago.

BOA BankOfAmerica has their credit card system in Phoenix AZ I was hit by the Pluto D. Nicosia from Someone in Phoenix buying cd and dvd's there GO figure that one out.Also did a fraud alert to credit bureaus,and also got new cards.

AS TO A BREAK IN ON COMPUTER here. Aboust the sane time Pluto was doing his or her thing Collins est.edu.de was trying to break into my coputer and add files to my network connections so everyone check your see oif you have been compromised and if so foward that info to the right people. Looks like everyone in the country got it for this scam. Also Choicepoint and BOA both had their credit cards system broken into, and 1.5 million in BOA with Congressman and Senators

I called the FBI/SECRET SERVICE AND THE BANK to give them the info I had. Also Interpol just busted 35 Hackers in Lindon trying to put keylogging software into the LONDON BANKING SYSTEM. Could be the same bunch.

Bear88310
@pm3-2.tul.tularosa.n

Bear88310

Anon

Charge from a few months ago lurks on new card

Well, I am back (bearbear88310). I did all the yada yada and what not to prevent report etc. however i found out all cap one did was call the damn 800 number pluto uses. then they supposidly credited back the money. well i still (on a new card number not yet used, issued in march) have the 29.99 charge and cap one says, oh itll check off, ignore it, why is a 29.99 gap still on my credit limit with them? i call and ask and they say dont worry about it. its like a scratched cd, you fix it but the scar is there. if this is still there is there anyone else besides the ifccfbi to contact about it? its b.s. if you ask me.