Men jailed for running fake police cold-calling scam in Thame and Bucks

They rang people on their home telephone lines pretending to be police officers in a bid to get money from elderly and vulnerable people.

Mohammed Islam, aged 25, of Wroxall Road, Dagenham, was sentenced to one year and nine months, at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Islam was also found to have breached a suspended sentence of 10 months’ imprisonment for attempted theft, and a five months’ imprisonment for dangerous driving.

Due to the breaches, he is due to serve an overall three-year period in jail. Reading Crown Court also heard that Islam was handed a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years on release from prison, which restricts how many mobile phones he can own and he has to provide notice if he wants to hire a vehicle.

After a six-day trial, Mahbub Hussain, aged 25, of Buckle Street, London, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, after he was convicted by jury of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Both men also have to pay a victim surcharge within six months, it was confirmed in court.

Islam and Hussain initiated their cold-calling scheme in May of last year. They rang victims in Pangbourne, Reading, Thame, Oxford, Wallingford, Wokingham and Naphill. And made further calls in Hereford, Leicestershire and West Sussex.

They contacted their victims via their landlines and posed as two fictional police officers Sergeant Anthony Matthews and PC Gary Lambert.

They would call victims and ask them to hang up and call 999. However, the pair would leave the line open and the victims would then believe they were dialling 999 and speaking to another police officer, Thames Valley Police has revealed.

Thames Valley Police adds that the men would spend hours convincing the vulnerable victims to withdraw cash and hand it over to them under the pretence it would help expose fraud within financial institutions, and other fictional covert operations they claimed to be working on.

Hussain rented out two cars, which the defendants used as bases of operations to make calls to victims and avoid detection. They kept multiple chargers in the cars to allow them to call multiple victims.

Between 9 May and 21 May 2024, the suspects spent 60 hours on the phone to victims, with one victim kept on the phone for eight hours.

Seventeen victims, were targeted in total who were aged 69 and 87 years of age, with a total of £87,000 being requested from them.

Thames Valley Police has revealed that only £9,000 was taken after officers became aware of the scam.

Officer in the case, Detective Constable Patrycja Lesiakowska said: “The defendants in this case showed a disregard for the wellbeing of the victims, targeting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Their elaborate scheme to impersonate police officers and deceive victims into handing over money was both cruel and calculated.

“This conviction highlights our commitment to bringing such criminals to justice and protecting victims from fraud."

Thames Valley Police has advised that more details on fraud can be found on its website.

Lead Investigating officer Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn said, “Courier fraud is a type of fraud where criminals deceive victims into handing over money, valuables, or sensitive information by posing as authorities or trusted individuals. In courier fraud, the deception typically unfolds in several stages, often targeting vulnerable or elderly individuals.

“Courier fraud preys on the victim’s trust, vulnerability, and fear of authority, making it a particularly insidious form of deception.

“The two defendants were convicted of these offences following an investigation and the guilty pleas entered are testament to the thorough investigation by the High Harm Fraud Team. We will continue to pursue those who offend against vulnerable victims as a priority.

“The sentence reflects how serious these offences are viewed and should send a clear message to those engaging in this criminal activity.

“We hope this serves as a strong deterrent to anyone considering similar crimes. We want to remind the public that neither the police nor your bank will ever ask you for money or request that you withdraw cash as part of an investigation.

“To protect yourself from being a victim of courier fraud, individuals should exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls or requests for sensitive information.”