A man paid a teen to build a fake Amazon website to steal financial data. The scheme was stopped before it could trick users.
Ewan McGavin paid Blaine Flatt to build the fake site with the aim of obtaining banking information. Although the scam wasn’t used, it had the potential to trick many users.
McGavin, 31, denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty after his trial in south Wales. Flatt, now 21, had already been sentenced.
McGavin contacted Flatt in 2018 and paid him over £2,000. The site seemed to offer Amazon refunds and used the address ‘amzconfimations.us’; it was designed to steal login details and card numbers.
They communicated on WhatsApp, where McGavin emphasized the need to be sneaky. They also argued about payments, and the site never went live.
Flatt was linked to images of children, leading police to search his home in 2020. They uncovered phones, a laptop, and a hard drive.
The devices contained indecent images of children, and officers also found cannabis. WhatsApp messages further revealed he sold drugs.
Flatt was sentenced last year to two years, suspended, and had to complete 200 hours of work. He also received a 10-year order.
His lawyer argued that Flatt was young at the time and had a difficult upbringing, adding that he had also been missing in Asia.
McGavin has one prior shoplifting conviction from 2013.
McGavin’s lawyer mentioned his client’s ‘strangeness’ and previous time in jail, asking the judge for leniency.
The judge stated that the plan targeted vulnerable people, intending to steal their personal data. He also noted that McGavin seemed isolated.
The judge sentenced him to 30 months, expressing the hope that McGavin could use his skills for good.
He will serve half of the time before being released on licence.
Police urged caution online after the case and pledged to pursue cyber criminals, emphasizing the harm scams cause to the public.
Phishing involves using fake sites or emails to trick people. Criminals aim to obtain data by appearing legitimate and gaining trust to facilitate their illegal activities.