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Fri, 12 Jun 2009 UK E-Crime unit busts online iTunes, Amazon music scam

Apple and Amazon unaware of the fraud being committed against them

Siobhan Chapman Computerworld UK

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An international fraud ring, in which a gang allegedly made thousands of pounds downloading its own records from iTunes and Amazon with stolen credit cards has been cracked by the Metropolitan e-Crime Unit and the FBI, the Met claimed.

The gang are said to have uploaded music to iTunes and Amazon for sale and then spent about £459,000 buying the tracks using 1,500 stolen UK and US credit cards.

It is believed that the gang provided several songs to an online US company, which uploaded them to be sold on the two internet sites. Apple and Amazon, who were unaware of the fraud being committed against them, then paid royalties on the sales totalling £184,000.

The Met's newly formed e-Crime unit arrested seven men and three women after raids across London, the West Midlands and Kent on Wednesday.

Detective chief inspector Terry Wilson, of the e-Crime Unit, said: "This investigation, with its national and international dimension, exemplifies why we have set up this national response to e-crime. It shows the success that can be achieved through our close working relationship with the FBI."

"We are now making it more risky for criminals who seek to exploit the Internet and commit e-crime across national borders. We are working hard through partnership with industry and law enforcement to combat e-crime and are committed to pursuing those responsible."

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