Royal Navy worker allowed fraudsters to use his bank for £22k scam

Cameron Duffy, 26, claimed he handed over his online banking login details to an individual known as “D One” in July 2021.

Duffy, from Bellshill, stated that he was “duped” into believing “D One” was going to take care of his stock investments while he was on duty aboard a ship.

However, it emerged that Duffy’s bank account was a vehicle for money taken from fraud victim Craig McKissock.

Mr McKissock had £22,795 of his cash transferred into Duffy’s which was then moved on to his cryptocurrency account.

Married Duffy – who has since retired on disability grounds – admitted each account was his but denied being involved in the fraud or movement of money.

First offender Duffy was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of acquiring, receiving and possessing criminal property on July 23, 2021.

The charge states that the offence took place in an address known to the prosecutor within the jurisdiction of Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The trial heard that Mr McKissock received a phone call from what he believed was from his bank First Direct.

He was informed that his account had been “compromised” and that those speaking to him had used “banking terminology.”

Mr McKissock stated that the two men he spoke to had English accents and the names “Cameron Duffy” and “Gary Clayton” were referenced.

But, he was later told that there was no one who worked for First Direct who had those names.

A total of £22,795 was swiped and put into Duffy’s Lloyds TSB account.

Duffy told the court that he set up the account in June or July 2021 to put some “extra money” away for his first child.

He stated that he also opened a cryptocurrency account after hearing about it from his shipmates.

Duffy claimed that he was later contacted by a friend from his time in the cadets, who suggested he speak to the “D One” individual on the Snapchat messaging app.

Frances Taylor, defending, asked who “D One” was and Duffy replied: “I was led to believe he ran a small crypto group, that he had okay success and an algorithm for minute trades.

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“He said that him and his colleagues could do the trading on my behalf and I was told they needed access to the crypto and bank accounts.

“At the time I only had £10 or £5 in the account as I had really just set it up.

“I gave my details over as he needed that to track the cash and take it out swiftly.”

Duffy stated that he never met or spoke to “D One” but believed matters were “above board and legitimate.”

He said he later found out that he could not log in to his online bank account as the password had been changed.

Duffy was then further alerted by his bank about suspected fraud on his account.

He claimed to have then not been able to get hold of “D One” on Snapchat.

Duffy instead contacted his cadet friend for information.

He said he came to learn of accounts being “hacked” and that was when he feared he had been “duped”.

But, fiscal Danielle Docherty asked Duffy if his evidence was an “elaborate story” which was “made up” as he knew he did something wrong.

Duffy replied: “No.”

Referring to the “D One” individual, Miss Docherty stated Duffy appeared to be “holding out for a man that who was making himself out as being The Wolf of Wall Street.”

When convicting him, Sheriff Mary Shields said Duffy was either a “naive victim or a liar.”

She added: “I have to be satisfied that he had possession or control of criminal property.

“He needed to prove nothing and I take nothing from the no comment interview which he gave to the police.

“I found his evidence fabulous in the literal sense of the word and I thought he was unreliable so I find him guilty.”

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month and Duffy was ordained to appear meantime.