August 6, 2008 (Computerworld) The criminal network identified in federal indictments this week as having stolen tens of millions of credit card numbers used people with skills in technology, finance and black markets — some whom were notably polite, attentive and productive.

In one chain of ICQ messages excerpted by federal authorities in the indictment, there is back-and-forth about the software used to get credit card data from the Dave & Buster's Inc. restaurant chain, which the U.S. Department of Justice says was one of nine retailers hit. The hackers gave the chain a positive review: "A very nice place, they have many locations," wrote Albert Gonzalez, of Miami, in an instant message.

Credit card thieves ran a polite, professional help desk