‘Wolf of Manchester’ sold customers’ data

AN insurance company worker described as the ‘Wolf of Manchester’ made thousands of pounds by stealing and selling customer data from an insurance company.

Shane Jerman took photographs of customer information while working for AXA Insurance.

A police investigation discovered he was sending about 100 lines of data a week via Whatsapp to Stuart McGill, a former employee of the firm, over six months from June 2015.

Analysis of their bank accounts revealed that McGill was regularly sending between £250 and £650 to Jerman, with the description in the statements as ‘Shane Jerman Wolf of Manchester.’

Further analysis into McGill’s bank account showed that he was receiving several thousands of pounds from a company called Mid North West Ltd.

The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department made enquiries into Mid North West Ltd, which was operating as a claims management company, and identified Jack Greenwood as a director and Andrew Franks as an employee.

McGill also confirmed this in his interview and said he was receiving money from them in return for the data supplied by Jerman. At one stage during the fraud, Greenwood bragged about the success of their activity, sending a message to McGill suggesting a ‘Christmas works do is defo on the cards!’

AXA became suspicious that there was fraudulent activity and referred the matter to IFED. In total, it is estimated that Jerman and McGill made a total of £18,250 between them.

It is believed that Greenwood and Franks would have used the data to ring AXA customers and attempt to refer them on to solicitors who would help them progress their accident claims.

The benefit to Greenwood and Franks would be a fee for providing the solicitors with new customers.

At Preston Combined Court all four men were sentenced after pleading guilty to bribery.

Jerman, 29, of Westbourne Road, Morecambe, was given nine months jail, suspended for 18 months, 180 hours unpaid work and £450 court costs, for one count of bribery.

McGill, 30, of Charlecote Road, Stockport – nine months jail, suspended for 18 months, 180 hours unpaid work and £450 court costs, for two counts.

Greenwood, 29, of Gravel Lane, Wilmslow – 14 months prison, suspended for 18 months, 180 hours unpaid work, £750 court costs and £3,000 fine, for one count of bribery.

Franks, 29, of Spencer Mews, Macclesfield – 17 months jail, suspended for 18 months, 180 hours unpaid work, £750 court costs and £3,000 fine.