HMRC snares website scammer 6,500 miles away

Cybercrime experts at HMRC worked with Indonesian cybercrime police to track down and arrest the 36-year-old in a remote village – a 12-hour drive from the capital of North Sumatra.

The man now faces up to 12 years in prison for selling website phishing kits that targeted UK taxpayers. He posted more than 3 000 advertisements in a year promoting the illegal spoofing software on social media channels and crime forums for up to $250 each.

The software mimicked genuine webpages of major international business and institutions such as HMRC Royal Mail and TV Licensing in the UK Canada United States and Australia.

HMRC launched an investigation earlier this year and worked alongside international partners including the Indonesian National Police the Royal Canadian Mounted Police the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Australian Federal Police.

Simon Grunwell operational lead in HMRC’s fraud investigation service’s...