Justice Department Kicks Off Largest Identity Theft Case

According to Dow Jones Newswires, federal prosecutors today launched the U.S. Justice Department?s largest identity-theft case, charging 11 people with stealing and selling 40 million credit-card and debit-card numbers obtained from several major U.S. retailers.

The targeted retailers include TJX Cos., BJ?s Wholesale Club Inc., OfficeMax Inc., Boston Market, Barnes & Noble Inc., Sports Authority Inc., and DSW Inc.

?This is the single largest and most complex identity-theft case ever charged, ? U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said during a press conference in Boston, where some of the charges were filed. Prosecutors have filed other charges in San Diego and New York. The identity-theft ring caused ?widespread losses by banks, retailers and consumers,? Mukasey said.

While it was difficult to calculate the total financial impact of the thefts, officials estimated losses of at least tens of millions of dollars.

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