An investigation by the Israel Securities Authority (ISA) has revealed that between 2011 and 2014 staffers from the so-called recruitment unit, accessed the files of thousands of Israeli soldiers-to-be.
According to the Israeli broadcaster Hadashot news, the four suspected perpetrators used a specially developed program to fish out personal data from these files, including the recruits' and their relatives' contacts. The perpetrators, undetected for years, allegedly sold this information to marketing companies and other third parties.
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Following the investigation, the ISA passed the information on the scam to the cyber unit of the State Attorney’s office. According to media reports, the police are currently questioning the four suspects and their homes have been searched for evidence.
The investigation was prompted by complaints from soldiers, indicating that they were targeted by specific marketing calls, offering various products and services. According to the soldiers, those who contacted them, knew sensitive information about the potential clients, such as that some of them held foreign passports.