A man made a fraudulent application for a crisis loan after responding to a website offering a way to make money quick.

Carlos Baptiste of Harcourt Road, Thornton Heath, obtained the loan at Thornton Heath Job Centre on March 29, last year.

The 27-year-old was arrested by a fraud investigator for the Department of Work and Pensions after receiving a loan to the value £890.

Croydon Magistrates Court heard CCTV footage showed Baptiste arriving at the job centre in a Mercedes driven by two other men.

He returned to the car after making the claim before being driven to the nearest post office where the giros were cashed.

Alison Lockhart, prosecuting said: "Mr Baptiste made full and frank admissions and said he was given £200 out of the £890 gained by the false application.

"The rest was to go to the driver and the other man."

Baptiste's defence lawyer said there had been a number of cases recently of people being made to falsely claim crisis loans.

She said: "There was two brothers who have been arrested and charged with conspiracy.

"They put something on their website that says 'do you want to make money quick' and people like Mr Baptiste fell for it.

"He has made full admissions about his involvement and he understands what he has done. He was about to be evicted from his home address and he has some £4,000 in arrears.

"He should have been topping up his housing benefit but he didn't realise, that is part of the reason he fell for the stupid scam."

Baptiste pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order, 150 hours unpaid work to be completed in the next 12 months and a supervision order.

He was also ordered to pay a £60 fine and prosecution costs of £85.

 

TODAY'S TOP CROYDON STORIES