FBI wants student hacker who helped catch cheating lovers

WASHINGTON – It’s not just the federal government intercepting your communications. It could be a nosy relative or jealous partner.

Among five individuals added this week to the FBI’s list of “most wanted” cybercriminals is a former San Diego college student who sold online an $89 program dubbed “Loverspy.”

The program was billed as a way to “catch a cheating lover” by sending the person an electronic greeting card that, if opened, would install malware that could capture emails and instant messages, even spy on someone using the victim’s own webcam.

The case of Carlos Enrique Perez-Melara is noteworthy because he appears to have made relatively little money on the scheme.

But he helped to turn average computer users into sophisticated hackers who could use the information to stalk their victims.