Developer charged with cookie scam on eBay

By

Auction site may have lost tens of thousands.

A Las Vegas software developer has been charged over a software cookie scam that left eBay severely out of pocket.

Christopher Kennedy built a software program called Saucekit, which could be used to make it look as though internet users had been clicking on advertisements for eBay, according to the court filings.

EBay pays a fixed fee to affiliate sites that direct internet users to the auction site, and uses the information in the cookies to identify the payee for the advertising click-throughs.

Kennedy boasted on message boards that one of his clients was clearing US$10,000 ($11,411) a month using the software, and another was making US$7,000 ($7,987) a month.

EBay sent him a cease and desist notice in March but Kennedy ignored this and insulted the company and its request in message board postings. EBay also filed a civil suit before involving the police.

Kennedy is facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of US$250,000 ($285,000).

Developer charged with cookie scam on eBay
Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright ©v3.co.uk
Tags:

Most Read Articles

Orica to set new workforce systems live in Australia in July

Orica to set new workforce systems live in Australia in July

Lion builds an app to detect its beers on tap in venues

Lion builds an app to detect its beers on tap in venues

ANZ Institutional readies go-live for "multi-agent chatbot" amie

ANZ Institutional readies go-live for "multi-agent chatbot" amie

Victoria Police refreshes online reporting

Victoria Police refreshes online reporting

Log In

  |  Forgot your password?