REVscene Automotive Forum - Chinese Website Sells Thousands Of Hacked iTunes Accounts

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Want a loaded Apple iTunes account? There's a Chinese website for that.
TaoBao.com, China's largest online auction site, is selling around 50,000 iTunes accounts linked to stolen credit cards, China's GlobalTimes.com has learned.
The accounts cost anywhere from 1 yuan (US$0.15) to 200 yuan (US$30) and are credited with $200.
Even more suspect, the product descriptions warn users to use up their iTunes credit within 24 hours of purchasing on TaoBao, according to the GlobalTimes.com report.
A customer service rep from one of the merchants admitted that the accounts were linked to stolen credit cards.
"Of course these accounts are hacked, otherwise how could they be so cheap?" the rep told GlobalTimes.com, but refused to explain how the accounts were obtained.
The rep also assured GlobalTimes.com that the hacked accounts were safe for use in China because the accounts were linked to overseas credit card numbers. Thousands have been bought through the site in the last few months.
John Spelich, VP of International Corporate Affairs at parent company Alibaba Group, said, "As a platform that connects buyers and sellers, we are dedicated to providing an open and trusted marketplace for all our users. We take all reasonable and necessary measures to protect the rights of consumers who use Taobao, of our sellers and of third-parties, such as intellectual-property rights owners, and our listing rules include a takedown procedure targeted at allegedly infringing products that is substantially similar to those of other e-commerce leaders around the world.
At this time, we have not received any information from Apple or any other principal related to the iTunes accounts indicating that these products either violate our listing rules or infringe on the IP of others, and until we receive a valid takedown request, we cannot take action." Last October, Apple launched an online store in China where local consumers could buy branded software and hardware. It has yet to open up in-country access to iTunes, however.
Perhaps it's peak season for cybercriminals. In the last few weeks, companies from Microsoft to Honda to McDonald's have come under attack.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375305,00.asp

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