eBay an easy target for fraudsters, judge says

The auction website eBay was attacked by a judge yesterday after a woman made £3,021 from sales of fake tickets to Glastonbury music festival.

The auction website eBay was attacked by a judge yesterday after a woman made £3,021 from sales of fake tickets to Glastonbury music festival.

Sara Hambridge, 28, who admitted selling fewer than 20 tickets to five people on the website, took advantage of a system which made life easy for fraudsters, Judge Richard Bray told Leicester Crown Court.

"It appears to be extremely easy to commit fraud on the internet. If you don't have fraud against you on eBay, you are all right as a fraudster. You can get on and sell anything you like," he said.

A spokesman for eBay said only 0.01 per cent of listings resulted in fraudulent trading.

Hambridge, of Leicester, was handed a nine-month sentence suspended for two years after the court was told that she had been unwell since an operation earlier this year.

The five victims were repaid their money in full.