A fraudster who pretended to be several different cancer patients to pocket £7,500 from Macmillan Cancer Support was caught when charity staff recognised her voice, a court heard.
Amy Buck, 33, of Evans Street, Burslem, made 25 claims for money that was meant to help cancer patients heat their homes and attend hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic.
But Chester Crown Court heard she was foiled by staff who noticed the same voice using different names, but having the same bank account and phone numbers.
The claims were made from April 2021 to March 2022.
Buck, who admitted fraud at a previous hearing, was jailed for 10 months.
Mark Connor, mitigating, said the case was “serious”, but added that Buck was a “sad and isolated individual”.
Judge Simon Berkson said the money could have gone to other cancer patients and said Buck’s crimes were “despicable”.