Two men involved in a nationwide courier fraud where a bogus detective persuaded elderly people to hand over cash were jailed on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
Hamza Ali, 28, of Peregrine Road, Luton and Ahsan Naseer, 30, of Larch Road, Cricklewood London were arrested after the victims, who lived in Greater Manchester and Derbyshire, lost thousands of pounds.
The admitted conspiracy to defraud between April 15 and June 15, 2022 and appeared for sentence at St Albans Crown Court.
Prosecutor Lily Roberts-Phelps said the ten victims were contacted by a bogus policeman who said he was DC Matthew Phillips.
He said he needed help to catch bank staff who where dealing in counterfeit notes.
He told them to dial 999 to verify his identity.
The line had not been cleared and when the emergency line was called a woman answered and confirmed the officer’s identity. That woman has not been identified.
The victims were persuaded to go to banks and bureau de change to withdraw sterling and Euros. A courier would be sent to their homes to collect the cash.
Recorder Adrian Eissa KC sentenced both men to three years and nine months in jail.
They will be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for 5 years. The orders are intended to protect the public from the risk of the defendants committing similar offences.
A confiscation hearing has been listed for mention on September 4, this year.
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