Multimillion-pound cyberfraud gang jailed for selling identity theft kits
Source: The Guardian
Members of a gang who provided fake identities and documents to thousands of customers have been jailed following a two-and-a-half-year investigation into their multimillion-pound operation.
The criminal enterprise, known as Confidential Access (CA), operated from Alicante, Spain. It provided bogus documents and coaching on how to commit fraud.
A production line generated authentic-looking documents for committing fraud, many of which were bundled together and sold as full credit profiles. They included wage slips, credit histories and proof of postal address, making it possible for customers to defraud companies of thousands of pounds.
One of CA's top-end products, the so-called platinum profile, cost £5,500 and came complete with instructions on how to commit identity fraud. For £2,000, CA sold the "100% Creditmaster" profile.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/09/fraud-gang-jailed-identity-theft
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The operation was run by Jason Place and Barry Sales in Alicante while employees based around the UK would monitor the CA website and work on producing various documents, including false bank statements, wage slips, driving licences and utility bills.
Place, 42, from Gravesend, Kent, was jailed for six years and nine months for conspiracy to defraud. Sales was not prosecuted because he is terminally ill.
Mark Powell-Richards, 59, a credit broker and antiques dealer from Bickley in Kent, was sentenced to 225 months for conspiracy to defraud. Allen Stringer, 57, of Crossgates, Leeds, was jailed for the same term and on an identical charge.
Michael Daly, 68, a former chauffeur of Erith, Kent, was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid community service for conspiracy to defraud.
Jaipal Singh, 31: 18 months for conspiracy to defraud.
Arun Thear, 22: six months suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours' unpaid community service for forgery.
