[LINK] SMH: Opera House Fraud *Finally* Closed Down!

[Roger Clarke]

... further to a report a while back ...

Opera victims duped by world wide web of fraud
The Sydney Morning Herald
Date: November 11 2002
http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2002/11/10/1036308575882.htm
By Leonie Lamont

A planned night at the opera has turned into a costly disappointment 
for fans caught in a ticket scam. But, writes Leonie Lamont, the law 
is trying to fight back.

<Human interest story, decently researched it seems!>

As a result of a Herald report in August about police investigations 
into the scam, the ACCC has secured a Federal Court injunction to 
close the sites, and restrain the man thought to be behind them - 
Richard Chen, last known address 400 West 119th Street, New York. The 
court order has yet to be served.

Ms Lai was not the only one fooled. For at least 10 weeks during May, 
June and July last year, people searching Yahoo for the Sydney Opera 
House were directed to the scam site - www.sydneyopera.org - almost a 
copy of the authentic Opera House site at  www.sydneyoperahouse.com.

...

Another Chen website, www.worldsboxoffice.com, poses as a ticket 
agent for the great opera houses of the world - Paris, Milan, London 
- and until recently, Sydney. The prices are inflated.  [Presumably 
to make them appear more credible to the intended American and 
European

According to the Opera House, between April 6 and May 1, credit cards 
linked to the worldsboxoffice made six online purchases from the 
Opera House box office. The  tickets were bought in the name of 
legitimate purchasers - who found they had been ripped off only when 
they saw the real price on their tickets.

So far, despite the involvement of the FBI, US Secret Service, 
Scotland Yard's Computer Crime Unit and bank and credit card fraud 
investigators, Mr Chen remains as elusive as cyberspace.

-- 
Roger Clarke              http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/

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Visiting Professor, Uni of Hong Kong, Dept of Comp Sci and Info Sys
Visiting Fellow, Australian National University, Dept of Comp Sci