Court date set for Perth money scam trial

Oct 16 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A PERTH man will face trial at the Sheriff Court on January 28, charged with fraudulently obtaining more than £26,000 in a series of scams.

Kamran Farooq (34), of Tay Street, had a preliminary hearing scheduled for December 31 and he was freed on bail.

It is alleged that between August 24, 2007, and May 5, 2008, at the Royal Bank of Scotland in Perth Road, Dundee, he pretended he was Mohammed Siddiqui and opened an account in that name.

It is then alleged that he obtained a cheque for £2200.

A second charge alleges that on February 2 last year, he pretended to a call operator at Virgin Money in Chester that he was Siddiqui, induced that person to provide him with a credit card and fraudulently obtained £6098.31p.

A further charge alleges that between March 10 and May 9 last year, at Enterprise car Hire in Arran Road, Perth, he pretended he was Siddiqui and produced bank cards in that name.

Farooq is then alleged to have fraudulently obtained the hire of vehicles.

On May 2 last year, at his home, he is alleged to have pretended to Halifax Bank of Scotland staff in Livingston that he, along with Siddiqui, were jointly applying for a loan and attempted to obtain an £11,000 loan by fraud.

A final charge alleges that on August 13 last year, again at his home, he pretended to call operators at First Direct in Leeds that he was Siddiqui and persuaded them to open a bank account in that name and provide him with a credit card.

He is alleged to have dishonestly obtained a £13,000 loan and then a further £5,127.56p by fraud.