Wisbech father and son swindled thousands from Argos stores with refurbished Tefal irons scam

ANGLIA Paul Mathews and Dean Mathews CITY OF LONDON POLICE
Paul Matthews, 62, and his son Dean bought reconditioned Tefal steam irons and fraudulently claimed refunds for them. Credit: City of London Police

A father and son have been jailed after pocketing £136,000 in an elaborate scheme in which they forged receipts to return reconditioned steam irons.

Paul Matthews, 62, and his son Dean Mathews, 40, from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, bought repaired and discounted Tefal steam irons.

The pair then forged receipts and returned the reconditioned items at Argos stores, claiming they had been originally purchased there.

Paul Matthews was jailed for three years Credit: City of London Police

In total, they took 528 items to a Argos over three years, demanding the products be refunded.

Matthews and his son admitted conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering and were jailed for three years and two years respectively at Norwich Crown Court.

Dean Matthews was jailed for two years Credit: City of London Police

Det Ch Insp Lee Parish from City of London Police said: "This was an elaborate plot with a very simple objective - make as much money as possible.

“Retail fraud has a huge impact on a very human level.

"The impact of this fraud has a human element when you consider that businesses rely on profitability to pay their employees’ salaries, health benefits, and health insurance.”

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