‘Ruthless’ fraudster used energy scam to rip off elderly
A MAN described by a judge as “a slick and ruthless fraudster of elderly people” has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Hassan Akhtar Qaumi, 28, of Lynton Avenue, Wolverhampton, targeted people living in Coventry, Rugby, Nuneaton, Birmingham and Worcestershire, conning them out of almost £36,000.
Qaumi, the sole director of HQ Energy Ltd, used a database of residents aged over 60 he could ruthlessly target in his energy and heating scam.
Quami would call at victims’ homes unexpectedly, claiming they needed new or replacement solar panels (and/or associated equipment), radiators or boilers when in most cases they did not.
He would then take payment up front for these products but failed to supply them.
The conman also overcharged some of his victims for products that were of no benefit to them.
He used the thousands he stole to fund an extravagant lifestyle of eating out, gambling, clothes shopping and entertainment.
Quami was eventually investigated and prosecuted after Warwickshire County Council received complaints from consumers across Warwickshire and the West Midlands.
He previously pleaded guilty to 19 charges of fraud, theft and fraudulent trading at an earlier court hearing.
At Warwick Crown Court on Friday, October 25, Mr Qaumi was handed a four-and-a-halfyear prison sentence.
He was also disqualified from being a company director for nine years.
A further court hearing will be held at a later date to determine whether Mr Qaumi will be ordered to pay back his ill-gotten gains.
In mitigation, Ms Appleby, representing Mr Qaumi, said that her client was now a father and had been employed for the past 18 months.
She further stated that Mr Qaumi had not intended from the outset to defraud elderly people, but things had got out of hand and he ended up being 3 or 4 installations behind.
He accepted by is guilty pleas that he had found it easier to sell to elderly people. He was now ashamed and his remorse was genuine. Mr Qaumi had also paid £4,000 towards compensating his victims.
However, His Honour Judge Barry Berlin said that Mr Qaumi’s “remorse cuts little ice with me” and that it was “borne out of being caught”.
Describing the effect on two of the victims, Judge Berlin said that one elderly lady had been “systematically defrauded” leaving her “in great distress and tears”.
Another elderly victim described as being “very vulnerable” had panicked when he realised he could not pay his direct debits.
Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “It’s important that criminals who seek to defraud elderly and vulnerable people living in Warwickshire are brought to book.
“This was a complicated investigation undertaken by expert Trading Standards Officers and I’m delighted that it has been concluded successfully.”