Media Centre
Fraud Updates
PCB News
Fraud Updates 2006
30 June
The proliferation of phishing sites on the web, which are designed to dupe consumers into divulging their personal banking details, has seen more than 5000 malicious URL's being discovered in the UK in April and May 2006 alone.
Such is the level of sophistication being employed by fraudsters that most of these sites are almost indistinguishable from the real thing and on face value may seem very credible.
PCB Litigation was instructed late yesterday afternoon by a leading South American bank which had its online reputation put at risk by cyber fraudsters running such an operation. Using PCB Litigation's extensive global partnerships within the IT, fraud investigation and policing sectors, the fraudulent website was removed within 24 hours of receiving the instruction.
This result evidences how a client specific international litigation solution may be put into operation within a short period of time, whilst working in conjunction with international enforcement agencies and backed up by legal specialists.
23 June
It has been reported today that a man has had his identity stolen so many times that he now faces 52 charges for crimes he has not committed. The Lancashire man, who has spent more than £30,000 in attempts to clear his name in criminal courts, is facing numerous charges relating to driving offences in which criminals have given his name and details to police when caught.
The scam has become worse over time as other criminals have not only used his name, but have registered cars to his address and he has even been mistaken by prosecutors as a sentence-serving criminal.
UK residents should learn from the experiences of such victims by not ignoring the realities which surround identity thefts in this country. Fraudsters have become experts at immersing themselves in the identities of others in order to perpetrate crimes and unless victims actively resist by keeping their personal information safe, they too may end up facing charges for crimes they did not commit.
Victims that do suffer at the hands of identity thieves should however be aware that remedies exist in civil law which allow for the tracing of fraudsters as well as the freezing and seizing of the assets derived from their crimes.
22 June
UK nationals facing extradition to the United States under the provisions of the Extradition Act 2003 have received another blow following the refusal of Law Lords to allow a petition for appeal brought by the so-called NatWest three.
The three, who are to stand trial in the US on wire fraud charges, are alleged to have contributed to the collapse of Enron and profited through their dealings to the tune of £4.2m, even though they never conducted business in the US. The Government and the Serious Fraud Office have been accused of failing to protect the rights of UK citizens by allowing the US to request extradition of UK nationals without the need for a prima facie case to be presented.
The provision under the Act is extremely dangerous for those involved in financial operations affecting the US as it means that even if an individual has never set foot in the US, that person may still be extradited without solid evidence of wrongdoing to face trial in a foreign jurisdiction.
Individuals faced with allegations relating to improper financial dealings in the US and other countries should be aware of the application of the Extradition Act 2003.
| August 2006 | May 2006 |