Here’s a million dollar series pitch for the geniuses at NBC. Law & Order: Special Password Characters Which Also Contain At Least Two Numbers And Some Alternating Caps Unit. That’s what we’re calling the Queensland Police crack team tasked with protecting the state’s most susceptible wifi connections through sheer perseverance and a pre-smartphone practice which requires luck, old people, and an automobile.
In a bid to stop crimes related to identity theft, the state’s Fraud and Corporate Crime Group will use wardriving – the act of driving through a neighbourhood to look for unprotected Wifi networks (then downloading five seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm on said network) – to identify susceptible networks then inform at-risk residents with a letterbox drop containing information on how to effectively secure their connection.
Launched in conjunction with National Consumer Fraud Week, the project’s main goal is to protect users against online identity theft, warning that unprotected networks can allow those nefarious hacker types to use your internet, monitor your activity, and steal your identity.
“Unprotected or unsecured wireless networks are easy to infiltrate and hack. Criminals can then either take over the connection and commit fraud online or steal the personal details of the owner,” said Detective Superintendent Brian Hay. “This is definitely the next step in identity fraud.”
“Officers from the Hi Tech Crime Investigation Unit will patrol the Brisbane area (residential and commercial), but we are encouraging the public to not sit back and wait for this contact. Check your connection tonight and make sure it is protected.”
The project is supported by anti-fraud mascot, Fiscal the Fraud Fighting Ferret, who not only exists but stars in a ridiculous online web series about the perils of ATM skimming, identity theft and social networking.
