Romanian fraudsters jailed in Britain in on-line auction scam

LONDON - A Romanian couple living in London were jailed for their part in a world-wide internet auction scam that tricked would-be buyers into parting with cash for non-existent items.

For nearly two years, Nicolae Cretanu, 30, and his 23-year-old wife, Adriana, amassed nearly 255,000 pounds (370,000 euros, 452,000 dollars) by persuading eager eBay customers to wire funds for the goods by money transfer.

In all, they duped about 3,000 people, nearly two-thirds of them from the United States, Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court, in central London, was told.

The amounts lost by individuals ranged from 90 pounds to 5,000 pounds.

Sentencing the Cretanus, of Cann Hall Road, Leytonstone, east London, to three-and-a-half and two-and-a-half years respectively, judge Duncan Matheson QC said the pair had exploited "perceived weaknesses" in the eBay system.

He also recommended them for deportation when their jail terms ended.

Officers from the economic crime unit of the capital's Metropolitan Police warned after the case the couple's ill-gotten gains were a drop in the ocean -- and the practice continued unabated.

About one billion pounds a year was acquired fraudulently in similar ways, with eBay scams making up the bulk of the figure, Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Mawer told reporters.

"We are working the Romanian authorities to target those responsible in Romania. People have been arrested and are awaiting trial for this type of fraud there," he added.

In a statement, eBay said it already advised customers against using money transfers and was taking further steps to tighten security with police and expert help.

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