Edinburgh woman struck off after using fake passport to register to work in care sector

An Edinburgh woman has been struck off after being convicted of using a fake passport to register to work in the care sector.

Margaret Munzara was found guilty under the Identity Documents Act 2010 of possessing a fake passport, which she used to register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

The SSSC has now concluded an investigation into her crimes, which began nearly 15 years ago.

In a newly released report, on July 26, 2011, Munzara registered with the SSSC at their headquarters in Dundee, knowingly using a false passport as a form of identification.

In addition, on her application form filled out on July 20, 2011, Munzara provided false information, including her date of birth and whether she had been known by any other names, which she falsely stated she had not.

She also submitted a copy of the passport, which she knew had been improperly obtained.

On December 3, 2019, Munzara, while registering for another area within the care sector, once again failed to provide her correct date of birth to the SSSC.

It is unknown how long Munzara had been able to work based on false information, but it appears to have been more than a decade.

The report stated she owned the false passport as late as January 2024.

Munzara was brought before Edinburgh Sheriff Court on charges, for which she was convicted on March 25, 2025.

The report stated: “You have been convicted of two offences under the Identity Documents Act 2010, namely having in your possession without reasonable excuse a passport under a false name and holding a passport which you knew or believed was improperly obtained.

“You had used this passport dishonestly. You used this as your identity document to apply for registration with the SSSC and attempted to mislead the professional regulator by providing false information about your identity on your application to register with the SSSC.”

The SSSC criticised Munzara for what it views as a “serious abuse” of trust.

The regulator noted that Munzara repeatedly used the fake passport to verify her identity, and could not be satisfied that she would not do it again in the future.

The SSSC said those who rely on care workers should know who is caring for them.

The regulator concluded the only appropriate action was to remove Munzara from the care register.