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1989-04-05
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3KB
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52 lines
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~ COMPUTER CONTERFEITERS PROFIT IN PRISON ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Australian fraud squad is investigating allegations that the
inmates of two prisons in Victoria have been printing counterfeit cheques
and A$50 notes using desktop publishing techniques.
The state parliament was told last week that the prisoners brought
their own computers and printers with them when they were imprisoned. The
cheques were allegedly cashed by former inmates and relatives of the
prisoners in branches of the Bank of Melbourne.
The prisons minister, Mal Sandon, confirmed that an investigation was
being held into the activities of prisoners at two prisons - Loddon
prison in Castlemaine and Morwell River prison. The Loddon prison opened
in 1990 and is known by prisoners as the "Hyatt-on-the-Loddon". Each cell
has a colour television and a plug for video recorders.
"It's a scandalous state of affairs," Ross Smith, a Member of the
Legislative Assembly, told parliament. Smith claimed that a counter-
feiting ring was widespread throughout the prison system in Victoria.
"It [the ring] has the potential to cause grave harm in financial and
banking circles."
Smith claims that the bogus cheques were printed using an Apple
Macintosh computer with high-quality graphics linked to "sophisticated"
printers. "The interesting thing is that the equipment belongs to the
prisoners", he told parliament. At the Loddon prison the prisoners also
had access to 11 computers owned by the Office of Corrections.
Paper for the printing was either brought in by hand or sent through
the post, Smith said. Visitors also brought in computer software and
sample cheque forms.
Smith claimed that there was "some evidence" that Thomas Cook and
American Express traveller's cheques were also being produced. At Morwell
River prison, one inmate was caught printing prison visitor passes and
American Express letterheads, Smith said. Last April in the Castlemaine
district, fake A$50 bills were circulated. "One does not have to have a
great deal of imagination to work out were they were printed."
New Scientist, 30/05/92
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