Anonymous launches packet-free financial protest against PayPal

by Steve Ragan - Jul 27 2011, 10:43

Early Wednesday morning, Anonymous once again took up the fight against PayPal. Officially, Anonymous is asking like-minded people to hit PayPal’s bottom line, not by launching DDoS strikes, but by closing their accounts. Unofficially, some within the AntiSec movement are making threats, promising collateral damage to sensitive account information.

“In recent weeks, we've found ourselves outraged at the FBI's willingness to arrest and threaten those who are involved in ethical, modern cyber operations,” a statement from Anonymous said.

“What the FBI needs to learn is that there is a vast difference between adding one's voice to a chorus and digital sit-in with Low Orbit Ion Cannon, and controlling a large botnet of infected computers. And yet both of these are punishable with exactly the same fine and sentence.”

Dubbed OpPayPal, Anonymous’ new campaign is protesting the arrests made by the FBI last week, where 14 people were taken into custody for their alleged roles in last year’s Operation: Payback. At the time, PayPal had suspended WikiLeaks’ right to collect donations though their service, prompting public outrage, and Operation: Payback’s LOIC-driven DDoS attack on the company.

“We encourage anyone using PayPal to immediately close their accounts and consider an alternative...PayPal's willingness to fold to legislation should be proof enough that they don't deserve the customers they get. They do not deserve your business, and they do not deserve your respect,” Anonymous added.

One of the people arrested last week, Mercedes Renee Haefer, a.k.a “NO”, was visited earlier this year by the FBI, during the first wave of PayPal vs. Anonymous raids. According to those who knew her on IRC, she never participated in any of the DDoS attacks on PayPal.

The government disagreed, and charged her with Conspiracy to Commit Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer and Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer, Aiding and Abetting. After being raided the first time, Haefer told Gawker that she did not convince 7,000 people to DDoS PayPal, “PayPal convinced 7,000 people to attack PayPal.”

When asked why she was singled out, her answer was straight to the point. “I was friends with a few of the people that the FBI considers higher up in Anonymous...I think the FBI came to my house that morning thinking that I either was ‘high up’ in Anonymous, or could and would hand them the people they are looking for. None of these things are true.”

Supporters of Anonymous’ actions condemn the charges against the 14 people, pointing out that the max fine and sentence for the DDoS attacks are worse then other major offences, such as rape. The facts being used to support this claim come from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.

A 1992 report that noted the average sentence for a convicted rapist was just under 10 years, but that only 56-percent of the sentence, or just over 5 years, was actually served. [Source]

By contrast, charges against Haefer will carry a 15-year max sentence, with little chance of early release. The same can be said for the other 13 people currently awaiting trial.
 
“Apparently the government puts a corporation’s website before a person. While having your website DDoSd can lose you revenue, you can always gain that back. Being raped however, you can never get back. That is something that can stay with you forever,” commented one blog post circulating on Twitter and IRC.

As mentioned, most of the calls to action Wednesday morning were peaceful. The stated goal is a major financial impact due to closed accounts.

At the time this story was written, more than 400 accounts were confirmed closed, but there is no way to tell how this will impact PayPal, if it impacts the company at all.

While most of the OpPayPal attention is focused on closing accounts, others have their own ideas when it comes to dealing with PayPal.

A statement, written in a style that mimics LulzSec, but is being treated as unofficial by those who shared it online, leaves little to the imagination when it comes to the AntiSec movement’s plans.

“The hateful fiends at PayPal have unleashed FBI sea dogs to hunt down some of the more beloved members of our battlefleet. That is why we have decided to raise anchor and leave harbour for one final journey on the seven proxseas. We’ve set our LulzCannon’s sights on the smarmy pirates of PayPal and will take no prisoners. They have not kept their most important booty safe. We find this very troubling, as it is not even their booty! Take this as a warning from your friendly LulzBoat captain. Wise little LulzLizards should withdraw their funds from PayPal before we do.” [Source]

Hours after that message, one from a more official Twitter account, AnonymousIRC, started to circulate:

“Oh yes, please cash out of #PayPal, just as a symbolic gesture. What else are we capable of? Wait for September to find out. #AntiSec”

Moreover, while the image could be a hoax, a screenshot was posted online announcing plans to force close more than 210,000 accounts.

We’ve reached out to PayPal for comment. A spokesperson had this to say:

"We can't comment on ongoing legal action. PayPal works with law enforcement around the world to protect our customers and their accounts. As we state in our privacy policy, PayPal works with law enforcement or government officials if we receive a subpoena or court order; if we need to do so to comply with law; or if we believe in good faith that illegal activity has occurred."

We’ll update this story with more information as we get it.

 

 

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