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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Card-cloning fraudsters sentenced | Card-cloning fraudsters sentenced |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Three men who admitted a card-cloning fraud which could have cost banks up to £3.5m have been jailed. | Three men who admitted a card-cloning fraud which could have cost banks up to £3.5m have been jailed. |
| The men filmed customers inputting their PIN numbers at petrol stations then cloned the cards in Coventry. | The men filmed customers inputting their PIN numbers at petrol stations then cloned the cards in Coventry. |
| Ariyakunathasa Pirathesan, 28, of Winsford Avenue, Coventry, was jailed for four-and-a-half years. | Ariyakunathasa Pirathesan, 28, of Winsford Avenue, Coventry, was jailed for four-and-a-half years. |
| Sombalu Jeyaganesh, 34, of Rainhill, Merseyside, and Sivanesan Mayilvaganam, 28, of Mitcham, Surrey, were jailed at Southwark Crown Court for three years. | Sombalu Jeyaganesh, 34, of Rainhill, Merseyside, and Sivanesan Mayilvaganam, 28, of Mitcham, Surrey, were jailed at Southwark Crown Court for three years. |
| Jeyaganesh, of Allan Drive, and Mayilvaganam, of Garden Avenue, will be deported to Sri Lanka when their sentences are complete. This was a massive, very determined, well-organised and sophisticated operation Judge Martin Beddoe | Jeyaganesh, of Allan Drive, and Mayilvaganam, of Garden Avenue, will be deported to Sri Lanka when their sentences are complete. This was a massive, very determined, well-organised and sophisticated operation Judge Martin Beddoe |
| All three had admitted conspiracy to defraud clearing banks between January 2007 and March this year. | All three had admitted conspiracy to defraud clearing banks between January 2007 and March this year. |
| Chris Coltart, prosecuting, said the amount of money stolen was £254,000 but the "average loss figures for compromised cards" suggested the fraud could eventually have cost banks up to £3.5m. | Chris Coltart, prosecuting, said the amount of money stolen was £254,000 but the "average loss figures for compromised cards" suggested the fraud could eventually have cost banks up to £3.5m. |
| Judge Martin Beddoe described Pirathesan as a "very principal player" who lived at the "veritable fraud factory" where the cards were cloned. | Judge Martin Beddoe described Pirathesan as a "very principal player" who lived at the "veritable fraud factory" where the cards were cloned. |
| Passing sentence, he told the men: "This was a massive, very determined, well-organised and sophisticated operation. | Passing sentence, he told the men: "This was a massive, very determined, well-organised and sophisticated operation. |
| "This particular form of credit card fraud is becoming widespread. | "This particular form of credit card fraud is becoming widespread. |
| "It is a real and significant scourge on the banking industry and the holders of their credit cards." | "It is a real and significant scourge on the banking industry and the holders of their credit cards." |
| 'Compromised' cards | 'Compromised' cards |
| He added that "substantial deterrent sentences" were needed in this case. | He added that "substantial deterrent sentences" were needed in this case. |
| The court had heard the gang had cloned the cards at Pirathesan's home in Coventry and then used them in transactions around the world. | The court had heard the gang had cloned the cards at Pirathesan's home in Coventry and then used them in transactions around the world. |
| When his home was raided, officers found 4,500 blank white cards with magnetic strips attached. | When his home was raided, officers found 4,500 blank white cards with magnetic strips attached. |
| Some had pin numbers written on them. | Some had pin numbers written on them. |
| The details of hundreds of "compromised" cards were also found along with a laptop, computers, memory sticks, a card reader and a BP name badge. | The details of hundreds of "compromised" cards were also found along with a laptop, computers, memory sticks, a card reader and a BP name badge. |
| Footage from secret cameras of pin numbers being inputted into pads was also found at a storage facility in Leicester. Advertisement | |
| The gang set up secret cameras to capture credit card details | The gang set up secret cameras to capture credit card details |