Identity thieves can now buy stolen credit cards online for as little as eight cents.

A national identity crime symposium in Brisbane has heard how the internet is providing a haven for con artists.

Letisha Willocks reports.

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Buying a stolen credit card online has never been easier.

Thieves are now even sending stolen card details overseas and making new cards with the information.

Bob Atkinson, Queensland Police Commissioner: “This is borderless, completely this crime, and what’s critical in this is that enforcement agencies and business and associated entities throughout the world work together to counter it.”

Just by clicking on an attachment or a link in an email, a cyber criminal can download all your personal information such as your Facebook profile, and match it with your financial data.

Det. Supt. Brian Hay, Qld Police: “More damage can be done, more harm created, more gain for the crook and more gain for the industry which is now cyber crime.”

Professor Jonathan Rusch says it will take more than just talk to take down international crime rings.

Professor Jonathan Rusch, US Dept of Justice: “Establish effective partnerships at a national level and using these not just for discussions about policy and co-ordination but very specific discussions about what levels of data can be shared so that we identify key rings, key operations and take affective action.”

One new scam involves someone calling up, pretending to be a Microsoft employee and asking for personal information.

Bob Atkinson, Queensland Police Commissioner: “The people who really your heart bleeds for are the retirees and pensioners who lose their life savings.”

Identity crime is the fastest growing crime globally and costs the Australian economy up to $3 billion a year.

Professor Jonathan Rusch, US Dept of Justice: “Identity theft has truly become a globalised crime problem.”

The national identity crime symposium will run in Brisbane until the end of the week.

Letisha Willocks, QUT News.