August 24, 2016 12.21 pm
This story is over 68 months old
Student fraudster who scammed Lincoln firm out of over £40k jailed
A student who was the front man for a scam which cost a Lincoln firm over £40,000 has been jailed for 10 months at Lincoln Crown Court. Quincy Ebanks withdrew £44,000 in cash from the account of the High Street firm Sykes Video Links only to be caught when he tried to remove a further…
Lincoln Crown Court inside Lincoln Castle. | Photo: The Lincolnite
A student who was the front man for a scam which cost a Lincoln firm over £40,000 has been jailed for 10 months at Lincoln Crown Court.
Quincy Ebanks withdrew £44,000 in cash from the account of the High Street firm Sykes Video Links only to be caught when he tried to remove a further £50,000 from the firm’s account.
Richard Thatcher, prosecuting on August 24, said that Ebanks went to the NatWest Bank branch on Newark Road, Lincoln, and handed a letter to the cashier claiming he was a representative of the company and was authorised to withdraw £24,000.
The cashier rang the telephone number for the company and the transaction was approved by a man she believed to be a director.
Three days later Ebanks returned to the same branch and withdraw a further £20,000 cash using the same method.
Mr Thatcher said that on this occasion there was doubt expressed about one of the signatories to the letter but the money was handed over after a further telephone call was made.
Police were contacted and when Ebanks went back for a third time requesting £50,000 cash he was told to wait.
Officers were called to the branch and he was arrested.
The prosecutor told the court that the telephone number for the company had been diverted by the fraudsters to a mobile phone which allowed them to impersonate company staff and approve the withdrawals.
Subsequent inquiries revealed that the man at the company that the bank staff believed they were talking to was out of the country at the time.
Mr Thatcher said: “The defendant was interviewed by the police. He claimed to be doing a favour for a friend but refused to name that individual.”
Ebanks, 24, of Harlesden, North London, admitted three charges of fraud between September 8 and 16, 2015.
Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence, told him: “Although you may not have been the organiser you nevertheless played an essential part in this fraudulent activity.
“It is obvious that this was a sophisticated fraud. A company has been targeted, phones diverted and staff impersonated.
“This offence is so serious that the only sentence I can justify is an immediate custodial sentence.”
Michael Cranmer-Brown, defending, said that Ebanks turned a blind eye to what was happening but he was not the organiser.
He said initially Ebanks thought that the money was being donated by a businessman who wanted to assist a community project he was setting up to help homeless people but later realised it was a scam.
Mr Cranmer-Brown added: “I would invite you to give him a chance and stay your hand from an immediate custodial sentence rather than throw him off the college course he is on and throw his life into further turmoil.”
He said Ebanks handed the money to other people and had not made any financial gain himself.
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Fire crews remain at the scene of a severe building fire which began in Louth overnight.
The blaze was called in at around 1.30am on Wednesday, May 18, concerning a building on Gresley Road.
Crews from Louth, Binbrook, Mablethorpe, Grantham and Alford were called to battle the fire, and nearby residents were advised to keep doors and windows closed.
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue said the incident was still ongoing at around 6am and that crews from Caistor and Horncastle were assisting with damping down efforts.
People living in the area reported that flames had engulfed at least three homes. The extent of the damage has not yet been officially confirmed.
It is not yet clear if anyone has been injured.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
The ‘It’s Not a Job’ campaign, launched in March 2022, continues to build momentum in Lincolnshire as it shines a light on the fantastic care professionals already working in the adult social care sector.
To attract more people to the profession, Lincolnshire County Council celebrates carers with short film depicting a day in the life of two carers, Kai Wade (21) from Lincoln and Gina Bennett (45) from Boston.
The film shows a typical working day; the carers enjoy the company of their service users, and the sense of purpose gained by supporting someone to continue living independently is a clear message throughout.
The film goes beyond showing how rewarding and valuable the home care profession can be, it also highlights the benefits to the carer for their work-life balance. Gina finishes her shift in time for an afternoon dog walk, and Kai spends quality time at the dinner table with his siblings.
Gina Bennett
Gina has worked her way up from carer, through to senior carer and now works as a CQL for Cera Care in Boston. She said, “It is where my heart lies, I really enjoy this line of work; it’s rewarding and enjoyable. I’d say, do this job if you genuinely care – happy people make a happy workplace.”
Kai works for Fosse Healthcare in Lincoln as a management support officer; his role involves both administrative duties and providing care in the home.
He said, “I took an interest in home care because I have family working in the sector. Since I started, I’ve found I’m more in touch with my compassionate side and I’ve developed my people skills through getting to know the people I care for and colleagues in the office.”
Kai Wade
A career in adult social care allows people to make a difference to the lives of others whilst still having time for other commitments. Prior experience and qualifications are not essential. What is most important is kindness, patience, and compassion. Care providers are looking for people with transferrable skills and a good work ethic.
A network of nine home care providers work with Lincolnshire County Council to deliver the home care service across the county. Lincolnshire County Council has created a handy, short online form to help people in Lincolnshire connect with their local care providers to find flexible home care roles.
A single enquiry form on the webpage streamlines the process by connecting jobseekers with the care providers most suited to their location and preferences. Upon completing the short form, one of the county’s homecare providers will be in touch to answer questions and help to find a suitable role.
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