Criminals launder money using iTunes and Amazon

11 June 2009 9:41 GMT / By Duncan Geere

Nine people are being held in custody after allegedly earning $300,000 by buying their own records from iTunes and Amazon with stolen credit cards.

The gang supposedly used a US company to upload tracks to iTunes and Amazon.com, and then bought that content themselves using 1,500 stolen credit cards. They spent nearly £500,000, earning royalties of approximately £187,500.

60 UK police in London and the West Midlands raided homes in London, Birmingham, Kent and Wolverhampton, where six men and three women were arrested. The Metropolitan Police's e-Crime unit spokesman DCI Terry Wilson said:

"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."

Via: theregister.co.uk

Full tags

Software, Online, Cybercrime, Amazon, iTunes