Police in London have arrested a 25 year-old man accused of selling vouchers for downloads at Allofmp3.com. The British Phonographic Industry said that the man is believed to be an agent for the Russian music download site, which has been outlawed in the UK for refusing to pay royalties, and was allegedly selling the vouchers throughout the UK and Europe via commercial websites and online auction services.
The use of vouchers, which allowed users to access the site and download music, is necessary because credit card firms throughout Europe have vowed to block any attempted payments made to the service. After selling the vouchers, sometimes for as much as £10, authorities claimed that the man transferred the money to offshore bank accounts connected to the owners of Allofmp3.com. The BPI estimates that the operation generated "tens of thousands of pounds" in revenue.
The man, a resident of Bow in London, will be charged with violating the UK Fraud Act 2006, which allows for the prosecution of individuals who make and distribute materials intended for fraud. If convicted, he could face 10 years in prison. Foreign-based software pirates and phishing groups have been using local agents for years. The jobs are often presented as "get rich quick" schemes and users are often unaware of the true nature of the position until after they have been arrested.