Student traumatised after scam laptop deal with Irishmen wanting to return home to Poland

A student of accounting and business management was duped out of £750 in a scam laptop and phone deal. Omar Kayani, 22, was approached by two men offering him a laptop computer and iPhone outside his home in Russell Road, Forest Fields, Nottingham. After initially refusing the deal, the men showed Mr Kayani the items working and said they were looking for a quick sale as they needed the money to return to Poland. He agreed and handed over £750 in exchange for a laptop bag before the men drove off.

When he opened the bag, he found it contained three two-litre bottles of lemonade and coke, and pieces of cardboard. Mr Kayani, who studies at the University of Derby, said he wanted to warn others about the scam. He said: "I just feel really angry that someone can do that. I had never come across anything like it before. I feel traumatised. I have learnt my lesson now. I thought I was getting a good deal. I'm a student and need those kind of things for studying. I didn't think I was being hustled. My message to others is be vigilant and never buy off the street."



Mr Kayani described the men as being in their mid-30s, and with Irish accents. They drove off in a silver Ford Mondeo car. He said: "I was walking and two men came out of a car and they asked me if I wanted to buy a laptop or phone. I was too tempted. I went and got the cash. They showed me everything was working and we exchanged bags – I gave them the money and the driver gave me a laptop bag. They drove off and I opened the bag and found it was filled with plastic bottles."

A Notts Police spokesman said: "It is unfortunate that very occasionally someone does fall victim to a crime of this kind, but there are some common sense guidelines to follow that can prevent this happening. Firstly, never exchange money in the street with someone you have never met before. Quite apart from the fact that, as in this case, you may not even receive the product you believe you have paid for, you have no evidence of the seller's credentials and no guarantees or warranty for the product itself. Always buy from legitimate retailers. We always urge anyone who is offered any product for sale in this way to report it to police. There may be a distinct possibility the product being offered has been stolen."