In a scandal which earned him £60,000, Jaymz Clarke-Tomlinson tricked 150 drivers into purchasing fake car insurance, and has consequently been sentenced to four years in prison.
The 33 year old, from Andover in Hampshire, has admitted one count of fraud by forgery and 18 by false representation. Naming the ‘company’ Personal Touch Insurance, he conned people with a professional looking website and business.
Vicky Small, a 40 year old from Bournemouth, who has a serious heart condition, was one of his victims. She paid him £266 for her car to be insured by him, and even suggested him to her friends and relatives.
She said: “I could not sleep and was hospitalised due to the stress this put on my heart. I was driving around uninsured, it does not bear thinking about what would have happened if I have had an accident and injured someone.”
Gary Kearley, from the City of London Police, said: “Clarke-Tomlinson went to extraordinary lengths to sell his bogus car insurance, even befriending many of his victims to target them and their loved ones.”
He said that Clarke-Tomlinson targeted unsuspecting victims with promises of discounts, money-back guarantees and cheap deals. They were also encouraged to pay the insurance premium in one go, up front, straight into a bank account he had set up. He would then provide them with an insurance policy certificate, but they were not actually insured.
When taking out insurance, it is important to watch out for fraudsters. If you are in any doubt about the validity of an insurance company, you could contact the Insurance Fraud Bureau.