A man who stole over £2,000 from the public through a series of fraudulent scams has today been jailed.
Cameron Corsie was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, having previously pled guilty to fraud offences on 19th November 2015.
The 24-year-old defrauded a number of people by pretending to sell cars and event tickets that he was never the owner of or even had in his possession.
Corsie advertised various desirable items online, including high-value cars and tickets to the FA Cup Final, at prices below their market value.
Victims were then told to pay deposits or the full balance upfront but were then left with nothing and could no longer make contact with the seller once payment had been made.
The 24-year-old then used other people’s bank accounts to launder the fraudulent funds and even used one unsuspecting individual’s details to make loan applications in their name.
Detective Inspector Arron Clinkscales from the Economic Crime Unit said: “Cameron Corsie used his knowledge of selling websites such as Craigslist and Pistonheads to put up fake adverts and would present attractive sales, often copying a true advert before persuading the buyer to send money outside protected payment methods.
“He successfully defrauded several victims of large sums of cash leaving these people out of pocket and deeply distraught.
“As a result of inquiries by the Economic Crime Unit, Corsie’s scam was uncovered and he was subsequently arrested. His sentence should serve has a warning to other fraudsters that Police Scotland will utilise all resources at our disposal to ensure you are brought to justice for your crimes.
“To ensure you do not fall foul of similar fraudulent activities I would urge the public to follow the advice provided on selling websites. When buying goods always pay using a protected method and never send money directly to an account unless you know who you are sending it to.
“If in any doubt, do not go ahead, and remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
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