[UK] Man pleads guilty after Met’s largest fraud investigation

A London man responsible for running a multi-million-pound fraud website has pleaded guilty following the Met's largest ever fraud investigation, Metropolitan Police reports.

Tejay Fletcher (35) appeared at Southwark Crown Court on April 20 where he pleaded guilty to the charges of making or supplying articles for use in fraud, encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, possessing criminal property and transferring criminal property.

Detective Superintendent Helen Rance led the investigation. She said, "I am incredibly proud of my team in the Cyber Crime unit who ran this investigation resulting in Fletcher pleading guilty. He was the ringleader of a slick fraud website which enabled criminals to defraud innocent people of millions of pounds.

"We are doing more than ever before to protect Londoners from spoofing and cyber fraud and devised a bespoke plan to reach out to victims who were targeted via iSpoof."

Mr Fletcher reportedly pleaded guilty to running iSpoof, a website which allowed criminals and fraudsters to appear as if they were calling from banks, tax offices and other official bodies as part of their attempts to defraud victims.

Users of iSpoof posed as representatives of banks including Barclays, Santander, HSBC, Lloyds, Halifax, First Direct, Natwest, Nationwide and TSB.

The total losses to victims of frauds enabled by iSpoof in the UK alone is reportedly in excess of £43 million. While total global losses are estimated to be at least £100 million.

Commenting on the outcome of the investigation, Detective Constable Ed Sehmer said, “This investigation shows that despite what Fletcher and criminal online services often claim, that fraudsters who use them are anonymous, that’s simply not the case. Police can - and will - track down the people running and using these services.”

Thomas Short - Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service - said, “As the leading administrator of the iSpoof website, Tejay Fletcher helped to provide fraudsters with the tools to cheat innocent people on a shocking scale.

“Fraud is an insidious crime and the cost to the many victims in this case has not just been financial; it has also caused huge emotional distress and devastation.

“We want to encourage all those who think they’ve been a victim of a fraud to come forward and report it.

“The CPS works closely with police to bring fraudulent offenders like Fletcher to justice and I hope today’s conviction sends a strong message to criminals that they can no longer hide behind online anonymity.”

The Met advises anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud, to contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Mr Fletcher will reportedly be sentenced on May 18.

Source: Metropolitan Police

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

A London man responsible for running a multi-million-pound fraud website has pleaded guilty following the Met's largest ever fraud investigation, Metropolitan Police reports.

Tejay Fletcher (35) appeared at Southwark Crown Court on April 20 where he pleaded guilty to the charges of making or supplying articles for use in fraud, encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, possessing criminal property and transferring criminal property.

Detective Superintendent Helen Rance led the investigation. She said, "I am incredibly proud of my team in the Cyber Crime unit who ran this investigation resulting in Fletcher pleading guilty. He was the ringleader of a slick fraud website which enabled criminals to defraud innocent people of millions of pounds.

"We are doing more than ever before to protect Londoners from spoofing and cyber fraud and devised a bespoke plan to reach out to victims who were targeted via iSpoof."

Mr Fletcher reportedly pleaded guilty to running iSpoof, a website which allowed criminals and fraudsters to appear as if they were calling from banks, tax offices and other official bodies as part of their attempts to defraud victims.

Users of iSpoof posed as representatives of banks including Barclays, Santander, HSBC, Lloyds, Halifax, First Direct, Natwest, Nationwide and TSB.

The total losses to victims of frauds enabled by iSpoof in the UK alone is reportedly in excess of £43 million. While total global losses are estimated to be at least £100 million.

Commenting on the outcome of the investigation, Detective Constable Ed Sehmer said, “This investigation shows that despite what Fletcher and criminal online services often claim, that fraudsters who use them are anonymous, that’s simply not the case. Police can - and will - track down the people running and using these services.”

Thomas Short - Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service - said, “As the leading administrator of the iSpoof website, Tejay Fletcher helped to provide fraudsters with the tools to cheat innocent people on a shocking scale.

“Fraud is an insidious crime and the cost to the many victims in this case has not just been financial; it has also caused huge emotional distress and devastation.

“We want to encourage all those who think they’ve been a victim of a fraud to come forward and report it.

“The CPS works closely with police to bring fraudulent offenders like Fletcher to justice and I hope today’s conviction sends a strong message to criminals that they can no longer hide behind online anonymity.”

The Met advises anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud, to contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Mr Fletcher will reportedly be sentenced on May 18.

Source: Metropolitan Police

(Link and quotes via original reporting)