Delivery day for an iPhone can be thrilling. Although the anticipation can feel endless, the last thing you want is to find your brand-new device stolen from your porch moments after it arrives. This unfortunate event has been occurring in thousands of homes across the United States, and new details have emerged regarding the method behind this scheme.
Criminal operation employed bespoke software, bribes, and an extensive network to swipe thousands of iPhones
Last November, we highlighted an unusual story about porch pirates who were snatching new iPhones right after they were delivered. It appeared that they had access to tracking information from AT&T.
Recently, law enforcement has made arrests and uncovered the details behind the operation.
Esther Fung from The Wall Street Journal reports:
Last month, federal agents apprehended 13 individuals tied to what they claim is an international crime network targeting FedEx deliveries across the country. […]
The group developed software to extract FedEx tracking numbers, bribed employees at AT&T stores for order details and delivery addresses, as revealed in a criminal complaint from New Jersey. They then dispatched individuals to collect the packages and transport them to places like a shop in Brooklyn.
Fung states that an AT&T employee in New Jersey utilized his access to monitor hundreds of customer shipments, sharing images of customer data, including names, addresses, and FedEx tracking numbers, with the criminal network.
This employee also received incentives ranging from $2,000 to $2,500 for bringing other AT&T staff into the operation.
Moreover, the crime gang compensated “runners,” who were given the tracking information along with directions on how to seize the packages right after delivery.
According to the report, thousands of iPhones were stolen in various states throughout the U.S., along with Apple Watches and Samsung devices.
This operation was a complicated, multifaceted network, and authorities have reason to believe there are additional culprits still at large. For instance:
The software was crafted by Demetrio Reyes Martinez, who operates online as “CookieNerd,” as per the complaint. The 37-year-old devised code to bypass FedEx restrictions on delivery data requests and marketed it on Telegram, complete with instructions for running the program, prosecutors noted.
Reyes Martinez, a citizen and resident of the Dominican Republic, remains in that nation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, which has not provided further details regarding his situation.
My biggest takeaway from this incident? Always request a signature for your valuable shipments, particularly for items like iPhones.
