In a groundbreaking case that has brought to light the dark world of online fraud, Zak Coyne, 24, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for his role as the mastermind behind LabHost, a platform that operated as a hub for phishing scams. The website, which claimed to be a “one-stop shop for phishing,” managed to defraud over one million victims globally, including 70,000 in the UK, of more than £100m by luring them into using fake payment services and shopping sites.
Coyne, hailing from Huddersfield, pleaded guilty to three fraud-related charges last year and was subsequently sentenced at Manchester Crown Court. His criminal activities came to an end in April 2024 when LabHost was taken down as a result of a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Police and international law enforcement agencies. During the period between August 2021 and October 2023, Coyne played a central role in the creation, operation, and administration of the fraudulent platform.
LabHost, which was described as a service “for spammers by spammers,” provided a platform for over 2,000 scammers to access phishing pages that mimicked legitimate banking, government, and commercial websites. By using these fake sites, criminals were able to steal sensitive information, including bank account details and credit card numbers, leading to losses totaling £32m in the UK and an estimated £100m globally. Despite the shutting down of LabHost, the consequences of its operations continue to unfold, with 24 suspects connected to the site already in custody and ongoing investigations to bring more perpetrators to justice.
The exposure of Coyne’s criminal activities sheds light on the concerning trend of cybercrime-as-a-service platforms like LabHost that enable thousands of fraudsters to carry out online scams affecting individuals and businesses. The successful prosecution of Coyne highlights the collective effort of law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and cybersecurity experts in combating cybercriminal activities and sending a strong message that those involved in facilitating illegal operations will be held accountable for their actions
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