Laptops, iPods, iPhones, Nokia smartphones, digital cameras, Sony PlayStation 3 devices and DJ equipment were among the items shipped to addresses in Russia and Belarus.
Here's how the scams work. Criminals get credit card numbers with phishing, Trojan attacks and hacking databases, like that of Heartland Payment Systems and RBS WorldPay. They use the information to make online purchases of items, typically electronics goods that they can resell at a high profit and typically purchased in the U.S. where they are cheaper.
The criminals recruit U.S. residents to receive and re-ship the goods out. Re-shippers are asked to unpack the item from the merchant's box and put it in a plain box, probably so the boxes face less scrutiny at customs, Brady said.
For more, read "RSA reveals details behind re-shipping scam" on CNET News.
