Dudley Council issues warning after successful fraud prosecution
Dudley Council has warned fraudsters they will crack down on them after a case in which a false trader was given a community order and fined.
The trading standards team at the council successfully prosecuted Bradley David Lawrence of London who advertised a PS5 console and equipment that did not really exist and tricked Stourbridge consumer into paying for it twice.
The 'customer' paid him a toal of £1,080 while another man, who paid him £240, was compensated by his own bank.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, Lawrence, of Peabody Hill, London, was given a was given a 12-month Community Order with 120 hours unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £1,080 in compensation to the consumer and £500 towards costs, both within 12 months.
Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member responsible for trading standards at Dudley Council said: “We have once again shown that we will not hesitate to investigate and act against fraudsters and it is good to see this individual facing the strong arm of the law over his despicable behaviour.
“Unfortunately, there are many fraudulent traders who operate online, which is why we recommend choosing a reputable retailer. If something looks too good to be true, the chances are it probably is.”
