By James Simons-
Two men, Mohammed Zaman Ahmed and Kawsar Ahmed,(pictured) have been sentenced to three years and eight months and four years imprisonment, respectively, for their involvement in a scheme that defrauded victims of more than £400,000.
The culprits, aged 26 and 25, were found guilty at Gloucester Crown Court for their role in preying on elderly victims by impersonating police officers.
The two defendants were part of an organised criminal gang that ran its operations from various offices in London but targeted different parts of the country, including Gloucestershire in more than 7,500 calls.
The elaborate fraud involved more than 7,500 calls made by an organized criminal gang operating from various offices in London. Once engaged with a victim, the fraudsters posed as police officers conducting a counterfeit currency investigation.
They claimed the victim’s bank accounts were involved and persuaded them to withdraw money, which they then handed over to a supposed “courier” sent by the fake police.
In addition to an air of authenticity, the gang utilized a network of individuals who pretended to be senior police officers or bank officials, even arranging for taxis to take the often elderly victims to their banks for cash withdrawals.
Recognizing that banks have protocols for dealing with elderly or vulnerable customers withdrawing large sums, the gang coached the victims on what to say to avoid suspicion.
The scam resulted in a total fraud amounting to £430,452, leaving numerous vulnerable individuals devastated.
Kevin Hansford, Unit Head Prosecutor for the CPS Serious Economic Organised and International Directorate, commended the victims who supported the prosecution and praised the diligent work of Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire police in bringing the case to justice.
Detective Inspector Matt Phillips from Gloucestershire Constabulary expressed satisfaction with the sentences, highlighting the hard work of the officers in unveiling the extent of the criminals’ actions. He emphasized the commitment of law enforcement to actively pursue such criminal enterprises, not only within Gloucestershire but across the country.
Law enforcement agencies, including Suffolk Constabulary and Cumbria Constabulary, are currently investigating multiple incidents of courier fraud targeting elderly residents.
In response to the sentencing, Kevin Hansford from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “These two fraudsters convincingly presented themselves to victims, securing the trust of hundreds of elderly people through their lies.
“The sole purpose of this criminal activity was to enrich themselves, at the expense of vulnerable people who badly needed their hard-earned savings and pension income.
“I would like to thank the many victims who supported this prosecution and the hard-working Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire Police who enabled us to prove the case against this gang’s callous criminal enterprise.”
Detective Inspector Matt Phillips from Gloucestershire Police added: “We’re pleased that these men have now been sentenced for the misery they caused so many vulnerable and elderly people.
“This result is testimony to the immense hard work from many officers at Gloucestershire Constabulary, who went above and beyond to ensure that we could show just how low these men were willing to stoop.
“I want any gangs who try to target the people in our communities to know that we will not sit back but will actively pursue them for their crimes, not just in Gloucestershire but anywhere in the country.
“I hope that this sentence will bring some peace to the men and women they targeted.”