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ID theft crooks given six years behind bars

ID theft victims in the UK may be glad to hear that two men who stole hundreds of identities in attempts to steal £5 million from taxpayers have been locked away for nearly six years.

The two men of Nigerian origin helped to steal the identities of around 900 consumers in the UK and opened hundreds of bank accounts using other people's stolen identities.

According to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the crooks then proceeded to quickly withdraw money from the accounts in cash.

"This was an organised criminal attack against the taxpayer which sought to ruthlessly abuse tax systems designed to protect some of the most vulnerable members of society," said HMRC assistant director of criminal investigation Nick Burriss.

He went on to say that the duo caused internet security concerns for many by hijacking the identities of hundreds leading to the theft of around £300,000.

Cyber crooks also use phishing techniques to steal people's financial and personal data, which can be used for financial fraud.

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