TWO men have been jailed for their part in duping eBay customers out of almost £100,000.

Shofik Ali used his personal details to set up an account on the website which was then used to advertise high value electrical goods, including cameras and TVs worth up to £4,000.

Ali, who set up the first bank account victims paid their cash into on his 18th birthday, was said to have netted just £5,000 from the enterprise after being used by others, Burnley Crown Court.

The court was told the use of his personal details meant it was only a matter of time before he was caught.

His accomplice Shumon Ullah, 25, received more than £16,300 from Ali’s bank account as part of the money laundering operation.

Ullah is already serving two years eight months for a separate £38,000 eBay scam.

The hearing was told the fraud started after Ali, 20, paid for a professional-looking website, Vision Sound Express, to be set up in March 2008.

It built up a reputation as a power seller after offering simcards and clothing legitimately to buyers to win their confidence.

Expensive goods were then put on sale and trusting customers were conned out of their money.

Ali, of Wells Street, Haslingden, admitted conspiring to commit fraud and transferring criminal property and Ullah, of Top Barn Lane, Newchurch, pleaded guilty to acquiring criminal property. Both were jailed for 18 months.

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt said the scam was the worst kind of eBay fraud as those responsible built up customers' trust and confidence and then breached it.

She told Ali: "You were going to be caught. There was no doubt about it.The only question was when."

Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting, said Ali owned up on the basis he was asked to set up bank accounts for others to use and was told he would be sorted out financially. He said he withdrew £75,782 and gave the money to others, Mr Grout-Smith said transactions started on December 8 2007, five days after the eBay account was opened by Ali and simcards, Playstation games and some clothing were sold.

On May 6, the ‘break-out’ started and customers had to pay into Ali's bank account. In total victims handed over nearly £96,000.

The prosecutor said a number of bank accounts were used and withdrawals were made. From one account of Ali's, at the Abbey National, 10 days after the ‘break-out’ in May, cash to the tune of £16,350 was transferred into an account at the NatWest in the name of Shumon Ullah.

The scam was brought to an end when disgruntled customers contacted eBay and they called the police. Mr Grout-Smith said the defendants were arrested but neither made admissions.

Oliver Jarvis, for Ali, said it was absolutely certain the fraud was going to be discovered and the finger was going to point at the defendant.

He told the court: "For this kind of fraud to succeed it needs somebody stupid enough to allow their details to be used. He was a conduit for the greater gain of others."

Mr Jarvis said Ali was deeply remorseful that he had brought shame on his family, was trying to make amends and was very scared of going into custody.

Defending Ullah, Michael Maher said his release date from the first sentence was Nov next year.

The defendant, father of a five-year-old child, was attending courses in jail.

His family faced the loss of their home.

An eBay spokesman said: “We are delighted that these two criminals have been brought to justice and we hope it sends a clear message that people who attempt to defraud our users won't get away with it.

“We would encourage our users to ensure that they always pay with a safe payment method such as PayPal, so that they are covered for the full amount of their purchase.”