“My fucking SIM bought hacked.”
Investigators accuse Ortiz of being a prolific SIM hijacker who primarily focused victims to steal their cryptocurrency but additionally to take over their social media accounts with the objective of promoting them for Bitcoin. In accordance with the investigators, in addition to folks within the SIM swapping neighborhood, Ortiz was a member of OGUSERS, an internet site the place members commerce helpful Instagram or Twitter accounts.In one among at the least three assaults that occurred throughout Consensus, Ortiz allegedly stole greater than $1.5 million from a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, together with practically $1 million that he had crowdfunded in an ICO.“I checked out my telephone and it was lifeless,” the entrepreneur, who requested to stay nameless for worry of being focused once more, instructed Motherboard.He knew what was occurring as quickly as he misplaced service, as a result of the day earlier than, a pal on the convention had additionally gotten hacked.“We had been having a gathering and abruptly he says ‘fuck my telephone simply stopped working,’” the entrepreneur recalled his pal saying. Later within the day, he mentioned his pal texted him: “My fucking SIM bought hacked.”
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HOW THE COPS NABBED ORTIZ
In accordance with an investigation report obtained by Motherboard, detectives began trying into the case when one sufferer, an investor concerned in blockchain initiatives, instructed police that hackers stole his cellphone quantity.Ortiz allegedly focused the investor between February and March on a number of events. He hijacked his telephone quantity twice, reset passwords on his electronic mail and cryptocurrency accounts, added his personal two-factor Google authenticator app to additional lock the sufferer out, and even harassed his daughter, in accordance with the case investigators, who’re a part of the Regional Enforcement Allied Pc Crew, a activity power fabricated from a number of native California police departments that focuses on cybercrime.
SIM SWAPPERS BRACE FOR MORE ARRESTS
Information of Ortiz’s arrest shortly unfold amongst members of OGUSERS, a market for social media usernames that SIM swapping hackers use to promote stolen accounts.Final week, on July 18, an OGUSERS member posted a thread titled: “Who do you suppose is subsequent?” in an obvious reference to Ortiz’s arrest. Across the identical time, a number of hackers who claimed to be OGUSERS members instructed Motherboard about Ortiz’s arrest, and mentioned he was identified locally for stealing cryptocurrency.
