A 26-year-old man who pretended to be a Home Office fraud expert to steal £4,000 from an elderly couple has been jailed for two years.
Abdi Ali, of the town of Northolt, Ealing, called a woman in her eighties, of Maidenhead, Berkshire, in September 2023, pretending to be a Home Office employee called ‘Jason’.
The Londoner told her that her bank account had been targeted by fraudsters – but he would help prevent further theft and would need to examine her bank card to do that.
Trusting him, the woman handed her card to a courier in the next few days, along with her mobile phone – Ali as ‘Jason’ had told her it had a virus on it, which had enabled the fraudsters take her money.
Then, two days after first calling her, he knocked on her door, this time pretending to be a Home Office fraud expert called ‘Alex’.
He said she and her husband, in his nineties, needed to come to their local Nationwide bank branch to resolve the issue – and after they agreed, he went there with them in a taxi.
Ali told them to pretend he was their son-in-law and ask for £4,000 for a family holiday – but suspicious bank staff called police, who arrested Ali that day.
He was sentenced to two years in prison at Reading Crown Court on March 21, after previously pleading guilty to one count of fraud by false representation – and Thames Valley Police have since warned the public to be alert to the dangers of courier fraud.
Abdi Ali (pictured), of the town of Northolt, Ealing, called a woman in her eighties, of Maidenhead, Berkshire, in September 2023, pretending to be a Home Office employee called ‘Jason’
The 26-year-old first contacted the woman on September 11, 2023, calling her landline to claim he was a Home Office employee called ‘Jason’ who worked in the Canary Wharf area of London.
It was two days later, on September 13, that he turned up at her door pretending to be a different Home Office employee, this time one called ‘Alex’ specifically from the fraud team.
He asked the woman and her husband to come to their local Nationwide bank branch and bring identification so the fraud issue could be sorted.
She agreed and went there with her husband and Ali in a taxi, which dropped them off near Market Street, in the centre of the town of Maidenhead, before walking a short way to the bank, where Ali asked them to request the money.
But staff there quickly became concerned and called the police, at which point Ali left the branch.
Officers from Thames Valley Police arrived at the bank to check on the victims – then found and arrested Ali that day. He was charged on May 21 last year.
The force has since warned the public about the dangers of the ‘despicable’ and ‘insidious’ crime of courier fraud.
The crime sees fraudsters pose as trusted figures to deceive victims into handing over money, valuables or sensitive information, according to lead investigating officer on this case, Detective Inspector Duncan Wynn.
He asked the woman and her husband to come to their local Nationwide bank branch in Maidenhead (pictured) and bring identification so the fraud issue could be sorted
It typically unfolds in several stages, in the same way this elderly couple was ‘systematically targeted’ over several days, he said.
Courier fraudsters often unfortunately target vulnerable or elderly people, he added.
The officer, who is also head of Thames Valley Police’s Central Fraud Unit, advised the public to be cautious when receiving cold calls or requests for sensitive information.
He urged people to verify who is really calling them by contacting the organisation the person says they are from, using only official contact details to do so.
He said members of the public should not share personal or financial details over the phone – and should be wary if asked to act immediately or keep something secret.
DI Wynn said courier fraudsters are often ‘preying on the victim’s trust, vulnerability, and fear of authority, making it a particularly insidious form of deception’.
He added: ‘In this case, the victims, an elderly couple, were systematically targeted over several days and the offending was only stopped due to excellent diligence from staff at Nationwide Building Society, who alerted police to their suspicions.
‘Abdi Ali was convicted following our investigation, and his guilty plea is testament to the thorough work of the High Harm Fraud Team.
The 26-year-old first contacted the woman on September 11, 2023, calling her landline to claim he was a Home Office employee called ‘Jason’ who worked in the Canary Wharf area of London. Pictured: File photo
‘The sentence reflects how serious these offences are and should send a clear message to those engaging in this despicable criminal activity that they can expect to go to prison.
‘To protect yourself from being a victim of courier fraud, exercise caution when receiving unsolicited calls or requests for sensitive information.
‘It is essential to verify the identity of the caller by independently contacting the purported organisation using official contact information, such as the phone number listed on their website, bank cards or statements.
‘Additionally, refrain from disclosing personal or financial details over the phone and remain sceptical of any requests for immediate action or secrecy.
‘We will continue to pursue those who offend against vulnerable victims as a priority.’
