Woman jailed for £22,000 fraud at Stockport car dealership

Former sales advisor stole customer funds for luxury purchases and holidays

Woman jailed for £22,000 fraud at Stockport car dealership

A woman who defrauded her employer, a Skoda dealership in Stockport, of nearly £22,000 has been sentenced to prison. Emma Fairbanks, 32, used her position as a sales advisor to steal customers’ bank details and divert money into her personal account. Prosecutors stated she used the funds to “indulge in a lifestyle that could not have been funded by her salary,” including luxury holidays, designer goods, and weight loss surgery.

Fairbanks defrauded a total of 55 customers, with the dealership concerned there may be more unidentified victims. Her crimes came to light when a customer received a letter from ‘Bumper,’ a company facilitating car repair instalments, detailing missed payments of £1,490 that she had no knowledge of. Investigation by the dealership, Lookers Skoda Stockport, revealed Fairbanks had used various methods to disguise her activity. She would alter cost estimates or directly contact customers, falsely claiming the card machine was broken and requesting cash or direct bank transfers to her personal account.

Between June 2022 and May 2023, £21,987 in cash deposits was recorded in Fairbanks’ account. A police search of her home found designer items, handbags, and holiday receipts. It was also revealed she used a customer’s details to fund a £550 stay at a hotel in Buxton.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge Usher sentenced Fairbanks to 18 months in prison after she admitted two counts of fraud by false representation. Judge Usher described her actions as “premeditated, sophisticated, determined dishonesty,” noting the financial impact on her former employers and the damage to customer trust. One customer stated he would no longer use the dealership.

Defence counsel claimed Fairbanks found it “easy” to commit the fraud and suffered from depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Source: ITV News

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