British man jailed for eBay phishing fraud

LONDON (Reuters) - A British man was jailed for four years on Tuesday for masterminding an eBay internet auction swindle which stole computer account details from users and assumed their identities.

David Levi led six others in a gang which scooped almost 200,000 pounds (US$353,800) through a "phishing" fraud -- the practice of stealing goods after tricking computer users into revealing their bank details.

The sentencing at Preston Crown Court follows a high-profile court case last week in which three Romanian fraudsters were jailed in London for a worldwide scam that netted at least 300,000 pounds from thousands of eBay traders.

Levi, 29, led the gang who tricked eBay traders between July 2003 and 2004 into giving away their passwords and account details by sending emails to them pretending to be from the California-based company.

Levi, 29, was already serving a sentence for drug offences. He was jailed for three years for fraud and another year for perverting the course of justice, to be served consecutively. The others were jailed for terms ranging from six months to two years.

In phishing schemes, fraudsters typically bait victims with email purportedly from legitimate online businesses. The emails direct recipients to bogus Web sites, where they are asked to re-input information such as credit card information and passwords.

An eBay spokesman said the company had worked closely with police in Blackpool in northwest England "and as a result the offenders were convicted".