TRICKSTERS carried out a sophisticated con by donning a delivery firm’s uniform to collect laptops fraudulently ordered to their victims’ homes.

The scam would start with fraudsters taking out credit online using their victim’s details, before orders for high value goods including laptops and phones were placed.

The goods were delivered to the unsuspecting victim’s address.

Adekoya Adefowora, 38, and Deborah Oyeniyi, 23, would then arrive on their doorstep a short time later, disguised in a delivery company’s uniform and sporting false paperwork.

The pair would explain the items had been mistakenly delivered and claim the goods for themselves.

Some victims willingly handed over the goods while others grew suspicious and refused.

The con was carried out in Colchester and Felixstowe in May last year.

Adefowora and Oyeniyi were later pulled over in Brentwood.

Police found the DPD uniforms in the vehicle, alongside four mobile phones, two laptops, a red iPhone, ripped up labels and paperwork. Some of the labels provided the details of three victims.

The total value of the fraud was £8,313, of which £7,299 was unrecovered.

The amount of credit fraudulently applied for in order to place the orders totalled £17,550.

The court heard Adefowora had previously worked for DPD, but was sacked in June 2014 following reports of fraudulent activities in the area where he delivered in relation to 49 mobile phones.

The pair each admitted seven counts of fraud.

Vanessa Mistry, mitigating for Adefowora, said her client admitted his guilt, but insisted another had placed the orders for the items.

She said the fraudster now worked as a carer with his employer describing him as “dedicated and hardworking”.

She described him as “an integral part” of his family’s life.

David Kwasi Owusu-Yianoma, mitigating for Oyeniyi, said his client, who has no previous convictions, understood her conduct had “sullied her good name”.

“In the pre-sentence report she talks about feeling as though her life had ended because of this, that is something she really means,” he said.

“Your honour may feel it is an example of bad company sullying good morals.”

Judge Rupert Overbury said no evidence had been found linking the fraud to any other party.

He said: “This was a sophisticated confidence fraud committed over a period of time against a number of individuals, with both of you I have absolutely no doubt expecting to make a considerable amount of money.

“You were the ones who attended the addresses disguised in DPD uniforms, with DPD identification, with DPD books that contained addresses you were able to produce as further evidence of your genuine status.”

Adefowora, of Colyers Lane, Erith, Greater London, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, while Oyeniyi, of Russell Road, London, was jailed for 12 months.

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