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Three men who posed as police officers to con vulnerable and elderly victims out of thousands of pounds have been sentenced to prison. The trio, described by a judge as “cruel and despicable,” orchestrated a cold-calling campaign across Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire convincing seven victims to hand over approximately £51,000.
Hamza Ali, 30, Ahsan Naseer, 32, and Ismail Sarwar, 27, pretended to be detectives investigating bank fraud. They persuaded their targets to withdraw large sums of cash, buy foreign currency, or purchase expensive jewellery as part of a fake undercover operation. The victims were then instructed to hand the items over to a “courier,” who was in fact another member of the criminal network. The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) arrested the men in July, recovering burner phones, cash, and expensive vehicles. All three had previous convictions for similar crimes and pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. At a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Ali and Naseer were each jailed for three years, while Sarwar received a three-year sentence and a Serious Crime Prevention Order.
Detective Inspector Mhairi Shurmer, from ERSOU’s Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), said:
“Courier fraud is one of the most damaging crimes we deal with, and it is positive that all three will now spend extended spells behind bars. The impact this type of criminality has on victims cannot be overstated; some of society’s most trusting individuals have been brazenly taken advantage of, and I only hope that seeing the offenders being jailed provides some closure. I would urge anyone with loved ones who they think may be susceptible to courier fraud to have a conversation with them about the threat. Fraudsters can be incredibly convincing, but it’s important to remember that a police officer or bank employee will never ask you to withdraw and hand over cash or purchase foreign currency, gold bars or high value jewellery.”
To report fraud or intelligence around suspected fraud, contact your local police force, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.