British Ebay Scammer Gets Four Years

[Brad_Naylor]

The mastermind behind a British eBay phishing scam that made nearly �200,000 has been gaoled for four years.

 

David Levi, of Lytham near Blackpool, led a six-man phishing gang that stole identities and bank account details from more than 160 eBayers during 2003 and 2004.

 

Levi and co set up a bogus website posing as the real eBay website and then sent emails that duped users into believing they were legitimate communications from the online auction house. Links in the emails led eBay customers to the dodgy website, where they were asked for personal details that were later collated by the gang.

 

The fraudsters then posed as reliable vendors on the eBay website, using the log-ins passed on to them, where they listed expensive items for sale before disappearing with the cash, reports the BBC.

 

'Phishing is a big business for Internet criminals, and there can be few Internet users who have not received a phoney email claiming to come from an online bank or website,' said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, 'Criminals are attempting to steal account information from innocent computer users, pilfering passwords, PIN and credit card numbers from unwary Internet surfers.'

 

Levi admitted three counts of fraud and perverting the course of justice at Preston Crown Court. Other members of the gang received jail sentences of between six months and two years.

 

Last week, Romanian scammers were jailed for listing bogus items on eBay that pulled in at least �300,000. The ring leader, Nicolae Cretanu was sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment.

Kelly Ellis