Prison for fraudster who targeted elderly victims in Warwickshire and West Midlands

A fraudster who conned three elderly victims in Warwickshire and the West Midlands out of a combined £17,400 has been jailed for 15 months and ordered to pay back all the money.

Mohammed Ibrahim, 20, of Broomfield Street in London, received the sentence at Warwick Crown Court on Tuesday, October 18.

The offences, which took place in October 2020, saw three elderly victims persuaded over the phone to withdraw thousands of pounds of cash out of their bank and return home – where  Ibrahim would come and pick it up.

The scams centred around the victims being convinced that they were assisting the police with fraud investigations by withdrawing the cash and handing it over.

Detective Sergeant Paul Hainsworth, of Warwickshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “Fraudsters such as Mohammed Ibrahim rely on targeting the elderly and the vulnerable – and the sentence he has received reflects the seriousness of these offences.

“In each instance, the victims were manipulated and pressured over the phone – with their good will and sense of public duty being preyed on.

“Those involved in scams like this should be under no illusion that they will face a custodial sentence, a criminal record and having to pay back what they have taken.

“The public should remember that the police will never tell you to withdraw cash from your bank account.

“Never be afraid to hang up and call the police. Any genuine police officer would never seek to stop you from ending the call and phoning back on 101.

“Make sure you do this from another telephone – as fraudsters will often stay on the line and try to hijack your next outgoing call.”

For more advice on fraud prevention, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk

Issued by: AG Corporate Communications.