TWO MEN have been convicted of conspiracy to defraud across the UK in Reading.
Mahbub Hussain, aged 24 and of Buckle Street, London, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of one count of conspiracy to defraud, while Mohammed Islam, aged 25 and of Wroxhall Road, Dagenham, had earlier pleaded guilty to the same offence.
It comes at the culmination of a week-long trial which concluded at Reading Crown Court last Tuesday, November 26.
They have now been remanded in custody and are due for sentencing at the same court on February 21 next year.
Between May 9-21, Hussain and Islam posed as police officers and contacted victims by phone, purporting to be a sergeant and a police constable.
One of the offenders would make contact with the victim claiming to be a police sergeant and instructing them to contact 999 to verify his identity.
The fraudsters kept the phone line open, however, with the second defendant taking over the call and confirming the other’s identity as a police officer.
Hussain and Islam manipulated victims into believing that they were assisting with covert police investigations.
In most cases victim were told that a fraudster impersonating a relative had been arrested, and were often told that bank staff or the police were involved in the investigation.
For that reason, victims were told that they were not permitted to tell anybody else about the incident.
In some cases, victims were told to withdraw large sums of money for “fingerprinting” in order to assist the police in apprehending suspects.
Some of the victims were also asked to transfer money via bank transfers, although these were prevented from being completed by the victims’ genuine banks.
Hussain and Islam made a significant number of phone calls to landlines across the UK in order to target their victims, and 16 people in total provided witness statements to the police.
The calls, made using pay-as-you-go phones, amounted to more than 60 hours according to analysis conducted by the Central Fraud Unit.
One of the elderly victims endured more than 14 hours of calls in a single day.
While the total amount requested by the fraudsters exceeded £100,000, most victims recognised the scam before parting with their money.
Both defendants were arrested on May 21 and charged the following day.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Patrycja Lesiakowska, of the Thames Valley Police Central Fraud Unit, said: “Hussain and Islam took advantage of victims, using deception and fear to manipulate them into parting with large sums of money.
“While we are pleased that the majority of victims in this case recognised the scam before any money was lost, these two offenders caused significant distress.”
She explained: “It is essential that we continue to raise awareness about such fraudulent activities.
“These convictions represent a positive outcome, but it is vital that the public remain alert to scams such as this.
“If you receive a call that seems suspicious, never engage with the caller and always report it to Action Fraud.
“The more information we have, the better, so we can tackle these crimes and protect vulnerable individuals from falling victim.”
Senior Investigating Officer Duncan Wynn said: “Tackling fraud is a priority for Thames Valley Police, as we know the majority of victims of this crime are elderly and losses can be significant.
“I am pleased with the outcome of this investigation into a series of offences committed across the Thames Valley.
“Bringing Hussain and Islam to justice has disrupted their ongoing activity and prevents further victims from being targeted.”
He urged: “Anyone who receives ‘cold calls’ of this nature asking for information or to assist the police or their bank to assume it is a fraud and report to their banks immediately or report to Action Fraud.
“We will tirelessly continue our efforts in pursuing those who defraud victims and protect people from fraudsters.”
