Unit 4

Article #1 (Credit Card Fraud)

This WGAL article reports that Pennsylvania State Police are looking for a woman accused of using someone else’s identity to open a credit card. The case involves identity theft and credit card fraud, where a victim’s personal information is allegedly used without permission. The article shows how criminals can exploit someone’s identity to access money or credit under the victim’s name. Situations like this can cause serious financial damage and stress for the person whose identity was stolen. It also highlights why it’s important to protect personal information and watch for suspicious activity.

Source Evaluation

Who published: Matt Barcaro

Where was it published: WGAL 8 (local news site)

When was it published: Jan 13, 2026

Accuracy: The information is presented as a report about what Pennsylvania State Police say and what they are doing (searching for the suspect). Because it’s tied to law enforcement claims and a specific case, it reads like fact-based reporting, not opinion.

Link: https://www.wgal.com/article/pa-dauphin-county-id-theft-home-depot/69986149

Article 2: ICE List website cyberattack + privacy issue (The Independent)

This article explains that a website known for leaking personal information about ICE and Border Patrol agents went down after what its founder described as a major cyberattack. The article says the attack was a Direct Denial of Service (DDoS), which means the site was flooded with excessive requests to overwhelm the system and disrupt access. Even though a DDoS doesn’t always “steal” data by itself, the situation is still a serious cybersecurity and privacy issue because the website involved personal information about thousands of agents. To prevent or reduce damage from attacks like this, organizations can use DDoS protection services, traffic filtering, rate limiting, and stronger monitoring so unusual traffic spikes are detected quickly.

Source evaluation:

• Who published: Ariana Baio

• Where published: The Independent

• When published: Jan 15, 2026

• Accuracy/Truthfulness: The article describes the attack type (DDoS) and attributes key claims to the founder’s statements; it also explains what a DDoS is, which helps clarity.

• Purpose/Objectivity: Inform readers about a cyber incident and its impact; mostly explanatory, though it includes attribution/speculation about origin.

• Links/Citations: Website that leaked thousands of ICE agents’ personal information is down after huge ‘Russian cyberattack,’ founder says | The Independent