Seventy thousand victims and 60 million euros stolen
Scotland Yard has dismantled an organization that preyed on elderly or tech-savvy people
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The largest telephone scam in UK history involving more than seventy thousand victims. The total turnover was at least 60 million euros As confirmed by Scotland Yard, which has arrested more than 100 people. The victims of the Maxi scam, which lasted about twenty months, were primarily elderly people or people with little knowledge of technology.
Stolen access tokens to checking accounts
To carry out the scam and steal user data, the criminals used a site called iSpoof, now closed. Thanks to the site, criminals were able to hide their phone numbers and impersonate employees of various banks such as Barclays, Santander, HSBC, Lloyd’s, Halifax, First Direct, NatWest, and Nationwide.
Victims were warned of a fake hack and tricked into sharing their personal codes.
One victim lost three million pounds
At that point, criminals can steal money from the victims’ checking accounts.
On average, the scam cost the victims ten thousand pounds, but in one case they were robbed Three million pounds.
The mastermind of the scam, according to Scotland Yard who have worked with other international police forces, was Tejay Fletcher, 34, of London, who will appear before magistrates on December 6.
Image source: 123RF
The investigation was conducted by the British police
iSpoof is blocked
The decision to block the site iSpoofwhich thanks to a paid subscription allows to hide the number of calls and messages, was taken to prevent other possible scams.
The Dutch police forces, who cooperated in the investigation after it began, announced that the fraudsters would be prosecuted using the database on the site.
Instead, the British police announced that more than 70,000 victims would be warned of the scam they had been exposed to. Communications to be sent between Friday and Saturday.
Image source: 123RF
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