News

Alleged ATM hacking scheme thwarted

May 6, 2010

19-year-old Thor Alexander Morris was arrested at a Houston flea market last month after entering a default administrative passcode on a Tranax Mini-Bank ATM at the location.

According to a story on Wired.com, Morris allegedly hoped to hit more than 30 Houston ATMs and steal more than $250,000.

Morris was caught when he sought the assistance of former con man Brian Rhett Martin. Martin saved chat logs with Morris and contacted the FBI, who placed an undercover agent with Morris. When Morris approached the Houston ATM in what he called his "Rick James" wig and entered Tranax's default passcode (which had been changed on the machine), he was arrested.