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Most of the parts are microprocessors and memory chips. There is great demand for the chips on the black market, and there have been at least ten armed robberies in California, all for memory chips.

2 __

The biggest problem, though, is telecommunications fraud, especially involving cellular phones. There are 11 million cell phones in America alone, and each has its own serial number and identification number. 3 __

The reason is that the numbers validate phone calls and charge the customer. In New York City, police recently arrested a gang of six men for selling phones with stolen serial and identification numbers. When a call is made from one of the illegal cell phones, the charge is made to the real owner.

4 __

Using electronic devices, the gang picked these numbers up from the airwaves. Then, police say, they used personal computers to programme the stolen numbers into cell phones. These phones were often sold to immigrants for about $250. They would often make international phone calls and run up huge bills on other people’s accounts. Phone pirates are also active in Hong Kong. In a police raid on an electronic shop, 130 phones were found and seven people were arrested.

5 __

A recent report suggests that companies are often at risk from security breaches by their own employees. 6 __

And so-called wide-area networks are opening formerly internal information to the outside world. To beat high-tech crime, companies will have to rely on even more technology. New digital cellular phones will have more complex numbers that won’t be transmitted and so can’t be copied. But because many American firms have tightened security on their telephones, thieves are now attacking firms in other countries. 7 __

New techniques for protecting information will help stem the tide of high-tech crime – but thieves will always find new ways of beating the system.

A B C D E F G H

Gangs in these places have been stealing essential parts for computers by the truckload. These numbers are highly prized by thieves. New computer networks are giving an unusually large number of employees access to information. Robbers are hacking into computers to steal secret information. Most of this is due to security breakdowns in their computer systems. This type of fraud is responsible for up to one million dollars per year in illegal phone calls. Canada has recently witnessed a whole series of these incidents. These chips have recently become as valuable as gold in California.

B Find words and phrases from the text, which mean the same as the following expressions.

to be under the danger of something

to be free from control (esp. of law)

to stop the flow (of crime)

to accumulate large sums of money into somebody’s name

to give something legal force, to confirm something

place, where you can buy something illegally

to know something new better and better (esp. computers)

small parts used in computers, which can contain much information

to overcome some difficulties

a sharp need for something

Ex. A You are going to read a newspaper article about a computer hacker. Choose the most suitable heading from the listA –I for each part1 –7 of the article. There is an extra heading you don’t need to use. There is an example at the beginning (0).

A B C D E F G H I

Can’t help himself Locked up Calls that cost Not a nice person No.1 criminal genius A secret place Arrested by FBI chief Big screen epic When least expected

I

He strikes without warning, using a common laptop computer to break into secret computer systems or carry out bizarre vendettas against his enemies, causing havoc in the American communications industry.

__

He is Kevin Mitnick, a brilliant, unscrupulous computer hacker and the most wanted man on the information superhighway. He has been jailed for various computer crimes and is now the subject of a nationwide FBI manhunt, suspected of stealing millions of dollars worth of software from cellular telephone companies.

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The FBI believes Mr. Mitnick, 30, and his computer are in hiding somewhere in California, according to a New York Timesinvestigation, but thanks to his technical expertise Mr. Mitnick has been able to penetrate the computer systems of his pursuers and stay one technological step ahead.