Add Computer Hacking To The List!

There are many diamond and jewelry companies that are willing to make easier sales and extra profits by cheating.  Both the consumer and the ethical companies in these industries must contend with all sorts of attempts to deceive or cheat.  Now we have to deal with computer hacking on top of overgraded certificates, the application of substances that temporarily improve color, synthetic diamonds and so on. 

On October 23, 2015 the Jewelers Circular Keystone reported by its online service that the GIA reported that their diamond grading report database was hacked.  GIA has invalidated 1,042 diamond reports as the grades on those reports were changed through computer hacking. 
Here is the article.  Included is a link to a list of the affected reports.  If any consumer finds their diamond included in this list then GIA requests that the diamond and grading report be sent to GIA.  Anyone in this situation may contact us for assistance in doing this. 

Here is the article:
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GIA INVALIDATES MORE THAN 1,000 REPORTS BECAUSE OF HACKING

Rob Bates | October 23, 2015 |
The Gemological Institute of America has invalidated 1,042 grading reports issued by its grading lab, as they bear grades that were altered after its system was accessed without authorization by former employees of its database support contractor, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). 

The list of affected reports can be seen here. GIA requests that anyone with these reports or their accompanying diamonds return them to its lab for inspection. Entering their numbers into Report Check will show that the reports have been invalidated.
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The affected diamonds were mostly submitted in India, though some also came into GIA’s Carlsbad, Calif., headquarters. The stones were graded in whole or in part at various GIA locations, including its U.S. and India labs. The diamonds were submitted between November 2014 and September 2015; approximately 900 were submitted in July and August.

The issue was caught when the lab flagged certain grading discrepancies through its internal controls. It subsequently launched an investigation in conjunction with TCS.

The investigation revealed that one or more former TCS employees gained remote access to the system and made unauthorized changes to specific grades on behalf of certain parties. The clients who submitted the diamonds in question have been contacted and suspended from subsequent submissions to GIA pending further investigation.
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The unauthorized changes involved both color and clarity grades, says spokesperson Stephen Morisseau.

GIA and TCS have made the results of their investigation known to law enforcement agencies in India, and they are actively investigating the matter, a statement said, adding that the incident has led GIA to strengthen its controls.