Record-breaking Wardriving identity theft: 40,000,000+

A US Federal grand jury in Boston (Massachusetts, USA) charged 11 people on Tuesday, August 5th 2008,  with stealing 45 Million credit and debit card numbers from the computers of Massachusetts-based TJX, which owns the Marshall's and TJ Maxx stores, and other retail outlets including BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21 and DSW Inc.

The charges target three people from the United States, Albert "Segvec" Gonzalez, Christopher Scott and Damon Patrick Toey. Mr Gonzalez, was known to authorities for reselling identities and for alleged participation is similar crimes. Also charged where three individuals from the Ukraine, two from China, one from Estonia and one from Belarus. The indictment alleges that credit and debit card numbers where obtained by wardriving and hacking into wireless computer networks. 

This is largest reported identity-theft incidents on record. TJX has agreed to pay VISA and Master Card more than $60 million to settle complaints related to the incident.

See also: 

http://www.nowpublic.com/strange/41-million-credit-card-numbers-hacked

http://www.nowpublic.com/data_from_at_least_45_million_credit_debit_cards_stolen

Sources:

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/05/1916237&from=rss

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/11-Charged-in-TJX-Network-Security-Breach-Identity-Theft/?kc=EWKNLEDP08062008B

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/30741

http://garwarner.blogspot.com/2008/05/tjx-and-dave-busters.html

http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008/August/08-ag-689.html

http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/TheLaw/DB_indictment.pdf