back to article Going, going, done: Trio of prolific auction fraud fraudsters jailed

Three men have been jailed yesterday over a conspiracy to commit internet shopping fraud scam that involved taking payments for non-existent goods and services. Calin Serbenescu, 28, a former labourer, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment; Ionut Cotavian Anitescu, 26, unemployed, was sent down for three years; while Dorel …

  1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    “Between October 2014 and December 2015 Anitescu opened 26 bank accounts each in a separate identity… Grigorescu opened 12 bank accounts"

    So much for identity checks by banks.

    1. DNTP

      *escu: Good morning bank rep, I'd like to open twenty-six bank accounts at the same time.

      Wells Fargo manager: YES YES YES

      1. netminder

        YOU"RE HIRED!

        Wells Fargo manager: You seem like a real go-getter! How'd ya like a job in our credit card department?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I was thinking exactly the same thing; and also remembering that it took THREE YEARS to find a bank that would give my new wife an account; even the bank I had been with for 15 years refused; yet these guys managed to open dozens, if not hundreds between them.

      Hopefully, by the time they come out of jail, we will be fully Brexited, and they can be thrown out of the country - and no arguements!!

  2. aui

    Bank security

    I've had the following at my bank of nearly forty years, but only recently...

    "Where has this money you're paying in come from?" & "What are you using this money you're drawing out for?"

    The best by far from another bank to my 92 y.o. mum...

    "Can we see ID before we issue you a cheque from your savings account." Apparently her photocard bus pass was not good enough and she was then told to apply for a driving licence!

    1. Dave 15

      Re: Bank security

      Strange, I have NEVER been asked about what I am taking money for or where I am paying in from.

      Yes I had to provide some id when opening the account but that wasn't exactly a lot.

  3. Kubla Cant
    Headmaster

    As a matter of interest, are "auction fraud fraudsters" different from "auction fraudsters"?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Apparently "auction fraud" is a thing. So maybe auction fraud fraudsters are the organised crime version, compared to non-organised auction fraudsters. Or something like that.

      http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud-az-auction-fraud

      P.S. Just writing and seeing the word fraud so many times is making me doubt the spelling.

  4. Your alien overlord - fear me

    The monies long gone. Be funny if they went and brought things online never to receive them....

  5. Bob Rocket

    Banks are responsible

    These people managed to open multiple accounts with multiple id's and transfer large sums of money to others unknown.

    Money laundering regulations part 2 section 5 'Customer due diligence measures'

    Obviously that wasn't carried out (on multiple occasions)

    All we do know is that some foreign crims are being held at Brendas pleasure and we can't deport them when they get out.

    So have the banks refunded the money to those defrauded and if so have they informed their shareholders ?

    Has the 'Responsible Person' been brought to account by the regulators ?

    All we do know is that some foreign crims are being held at Brendas pleasure and we can't deport them when they get out.

  6. montyburns56

    Is this what people mean when they say that EU migrants are a big boost for the economy?

  7. Dave 15

    Wonder how it compares

    A quarter of a million theft and the sentences... how does that compare in hours per pound to other thefts?

    OF course the BIGGEST thefts... the banks, the fraud of taking payment for goods then pulling the plug and going bankrupt (think world of leather, land of leather, leather world.... etc etc etc who have done this many many times) ... these huge corporate scams are totally un punished... not one single bank boss, ceo or minister has been sent down for these massive scams.

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