Online Scammer Avoids Prison For Horse Riding Con

Scammer: Poppy Eastwood

A notorious internet fraudster, who conned online buyers into forking out for equestrian equipment she never supplied, has avoided prison with a suspended sentence.

Poppy Valentine Eastwood, 24, of Pike Close, Bromley lied to customers she was selling her horse riding tack because she was suffering multiple sclerosis.

She pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false representation and one count of acquiring criminal property, namely £10,873.

At Croydon Crown Court she received six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, and was ordered to repay her victims £2,403 compensation.

In 2014 she was convicted of selling iPads that never arrived to facebook customers and the website has a group with 4,000 followers called: 'Scammed by Poppy Eastwood.'

During the course of the police investigation, officers from Operation Falcon, the Met’s Cyber Crime unit, found 46 victims who had attempted to purchase horse related items from Eastwood at a number of online market places between 20 January 2014 and 13 November 2014.

Eastwood would discuss possible transactions with potential customers prior to a deal being struck.

During a number of these conversations she falsely claimed to be selling the riding equipment because she was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

Typically, the victim would transfer the funds to purchase the item and await receipt of the goods.

However, they never received the goods leaving them out of pocket.

Eastwood would initially make excuses for non-receipt of the goods but would eventually cease all contact with the victim.

Detective Constable Stephen Westlake of Operation Falcon said: “'Eastwood has defrauded a large number of online buyers who believed that they were dealing with a genuine seller.

“She has also pretended to suffer from a life changing illness to gain the trust of her victims.

“The effects of becoming a victim of crime run far deeper than the loss of cash. I hope that Eastwood’s victims gain a measure of closure following today’s sentence."