EBay golf scam clubs customers out of millions
EBay customers hoping to get golf clubs, passes for an airline lounges, and accessories were duped by a global network of criminals out of millions of pounds in a scam described at the Snaresbrook Crown Court, that was on a scale that this not comparable to any other scam.
The scammers had a clear idea of what they were doing since as soon as buyers and eBay became suspicious of the purchases and delayed shipments the scam account holders quickly drew up fake invoices to send out to eBay.
Prosecution lawyer Adam Davis said that most of the golf brands out there have already been affected by counterfeit goods that are sold on eBay and that this may be the largest counterfeit conspiracy that has every occurred on eBay that has been discovered to this date.
According to Davis, the scam operated over a period of four years from 2003-2008 and included the sale of millions of counterfeit items both in the UK and abroad through eBay.
Adding to the magnitude of the crime is the fact that the conspirators hid their tracks well distributing the goods from several different continents including locations in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia.
The goods were originally created in China and then shipped out to various locations including to conspirators that were found in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland.
Authorities were first clued in to the scam when an elderly woman complained to trading officers that she was not issued a refund even though she had sent in several letters of complaint.
