Personal assistant fakes her own death

A high-flying personal assistant scammed a string of blue chip companies then faked her death when she was close to being caught.

Ursula Moors was reported by a family member to have committed suicide when she began to fear bosses at Nestle were going to catch her for using a company credit card.

Grief-stricken staff were offered counselling to cope with the trauma while the company set up a trust account for Moors' sons, organised a service and planted a tree in her memory.

Nestle cottoned on to Moors before paying out the money they had collected in the trust fund.

Moors' three-year run of credit card fraud caught up with her in the Waitakere District Court on Thursday when she earned a second conviction for defrauding her employers.

This time it was for using a credit card at Monier Bricks in Auckland's New Lynn.

She has already been prosecuted for the Nestle scam and police are investigating other instances of alleged credit card fraud when she worked as a personal assistant at companies including the BNZ, Gullivers Travel and Metrowater.

The Herald on Sunday has obtained documents showing Moors was caught using credit cards at all those employers, and looked likely to continue until a central city employment agency carried out a full employment history check on her.

The agency, which wants to remain anonymous, puts all its job applicants through StaffChecks Vetting Limited, an off-shoot of private investigation company Auckland Investigations.

The checks threw up questions which had not occurred to other agencies who had placed her with their high-profile clients.

But it was at Nestle that Moors carried out her ultimate deception - when her sister told staff she had died.

Moors had worked for the company from November 2004 to March 2005 as personal assistant to a senior executive. According to documents obtained by the Herald On Sunday, she spent $3300 on her boss' credit card on a flight, car payments, KFC and an overdue Sky television payment.

A spokesman confirmed the company had pressed charges after discovering Moors was alive. "There were a lot of upset staff members. She's a pathological liar and will keep doing this stuff."

He confirmed Moors' sister had reported her suicide, and that the company had set up a trust account, planted a tree and held a memorial service.

The Herald on Sunday understands the company discovered the truth two weeks later when a prospective employer rang for Moors, who had sent out a CV from the Nestle email address before vanishing. Nestle staff were stunned to be told the caller had spoken to Moors earlier that week.

Hamish Aitken, general manager at Monier Bricks, said the company felt compelled to pursue charges after Moors had used a credit card that had not belonged to her. "As a company and a manager, it's important we demonstrate a social responsibility. It was calculated and deliberate."

The 100 hours of community service she received was "an indictment on our justice system."

Fiona Smith, human resources manager at Metrowater, said the company had laid a complaint with police after Moors worked at the company on placement through a temping agency.

"We have now raised the bar as to what checks we require a temping agency to carry out."

When confronted by the Herald On Sunday at her Auckland home on Friday, Moors admitted defrauding her employers and faking her death.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused," she said.

She said she would not repeat her actions if placed in a similar situation. "I've had one too many sleepless nights. It's not worth it."

Moors blamed "stupidity" and "desperation" for her actions, although bosses spoken to by the Herald on Sunday said she was an excellent PA who could command $60,000 a year if she didn't use credit cards that weren't hers.

But Moors said she was going to find a new profession.

"At the moment I'm not looking for work."

Her claim was at odds with a new fake CV bearing the name of Moors, obtained by the Herald on Sunday.

The CV was placed with an employment agency 10 days ago.

When shown the CV, which carried her name, phone numbers and was shown to have been sent from her email address, Moors said: "It's not mine."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY