Andrew Beck: IT worker learns fate for cybercrime, fraud offences after swindling more than $60k

On his fraud spree, Andrew Beck used stolen credit card details to book a stay in one of Sydney’s most lavish hotel rooms. Instead, he booked himself more than 450 nights in a 2x3m jail cell.

Andrew Beck was sentenced at Sydney District Court on Friday.

An IT worker’s desire to steal credit card details from a French embassy worker to book a stay in one of Sydney’s most lavish hotel rooms has backfired, landing him just more than 450 nights in a 2x3m jail cell.

Andrew Beck appeared at Sydney District Court on Friday after pleading guilty to one count each of modifying data by carriage service; dishonestly obtain and deal in personal financial information without consent; and dishonestly obtain property belonging to another by deception.

Court documents previously revealed the 24-year-old was working as a contractor to the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) when he used his IT credentials to access credit card details for almost a dozen individuals who had booked corporate space at the picturesque Darling Harbour complex.

Beck then used the credit cards to buy more than $66,000 in computer equipment for his home and parts for his Nissan Patrol, all of which were purchased in his own name and delivered to his own address.

Among the clients he attempted to rip off were the Department of Home Affairs, OzForex, Sports Integrity Australia and Mecone.

Beck’s attempted swindle of a Sydney-based senior trade adviser with Business France, was perhaps his biggest – and most indulgent – failure with court documents revealing the victim, Anthony Leroy, confirmed a booking at the ANMM on the afternoon of November 11, 2022, and emailed a credit card authorisation at 4.48pm.

The court heard Beck obtained Mr Leroy’s credit card details in less than 15 minutes and phoned the luxurious Park Hyatt Sydney and booked a $5400 overnight stay.

Andrew Beck outside Sydney District Court before his sentence.

Mr Leroy later told police he received a bank notification on his phone and immediately flagged it as fraudulent.

Meanwhile, ANMM bosses grew increasingly suspicious, spending more than $40,000 hiring a cybersecurity company to investigate the anomalies which quickly traced a data breach back to Beck.

The court heard Beck had failed to cover his tracks by using his own username and account to carry out the crude fraud.

While most of the illicit transactions were reversed when the victims notified their respective banks of the scam transactions, several small businesses were left out of pocket, including Narellan Auto Electrical which was owed almost $11,000 for work done on Beck’s 4WD.

He was arrested on March 3 last year by federal police and spent almost three months in jail before being granted strict conditional bail in the NSW Supreme Court.

In handing down her decision on Friday, Judge Pauline David noted Beck’s offending wasn’t impulsive, instead saying it was premeditated, calculated and planned.

She acknowledged the money stolen had not yet been paid.

Judge David said Beck had shown an “attitude of disobedience to the law” but found he had reasonable prospects of rehabilitation. She highlighted Beck was regretful and embarrassed, however found his mental health, including anxiety, OCD, ADHD and autism didn’t significantly reduce his moral culpability although accepting he “clearly had a difficult upbringing”.

Beck was ultimately sentenced to two years and six months in jail. He will be eligible for release in June 2025 after serving a 15-month non-parole period.