A Nottingham fraudster has been sentenced for scamming families through Facebook Marketplace by advertising properties he did not own. Gullriaz Tajpuri, 49, from Cornhill Road, Carlton, managed to dupe five families, collecting thousands in deposits.
Tajpuri advertised a three-bedroom property for rent, offering potential renters virtual tours before pocketing their deposits, resulting in what victims described as “financial misery.” He took a total of £3,100 from these families after they agreed to rent the property.
The scam came to light when a mother in her 30s reported Tajpuri to Nottinghamshire Police. Victims were left borrowing money, with one man revealing in Nottingham Crown Court that he and his wife became homeless due to the scam, ultimately having to buy a trailer tent for shelter. Another victim, a mother, shared her disappointment of having to tell her daughter there would be no new home for Christmas 2021.
Tajpuri charged £695 to four victims and £350 to his last victim before his arrest. Following the investigation, he appeared in court and received a 13-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, on September 25.
Detective Constable Harminder Rai-Mottram, who led the case, stated, “Tajpuri is a callous fraudster who inflicted financial hardship and enormous misery on several families during the lead-up to Christmas. This sentence sends a strong message that fraud does not go unpunished, and I hope Tajpuri uses this opportunity to change his life.”
