Gangbangers are trading in their guns and masks for laptops and card skimmers. Authorities have seen an increase in the number of gangbangers committing identity theft and more Internet-based crimes. Law enforcement agencies across the country have been noticing the trend of street gangs dabbling more and more in identify theft, check fraud and online crimes. According to the National Gang Intelligence Center’s 2011 gang report, many gang members use the Internet to commit identity theft, computer hacking and phishing scheme crimes. For the criminal, the payout can be much bigger at a decreased risk, authorities said. According to BankRate.com, losses from card skimming exceed $1 billion a year worldwide. The exact numbers are difficult to pin down, as many of the incidents are never reported to authorities. (Source vvdaily.com)