Two Men jailed for Fraud after posing as Police Officers

Two London-based men were jailed at Southwark Crown Court on June 7, 2019, after they posed as police officers in order to defraud elderly victims.

Officers from the Met’s Fraud and Linked Crime Online Unit (FALCON) launched an investigation after a 71-year-old woman from Fulham was conned in November 2018.

On November 20, 2018, the woman received a phone call from a man claiming to be a police officer based in Hammersmith.

She was told her bank account and card had been compromised and used to fraudulently purchase expensive jewellery.

The caller told the victim to withdraw money, return home and wait for an officer to attend and collect the notes for inspection.

Later that day, a car driven by 23-year-old Mizan Muhammed Ali arrived at the woman’s house and the money was taken.

The elderly woman received another phone call from the bogus officer and was asked to make a further withdrawal. She agreed and a second collection was made.

The victim realised she had been scammed after speaking with family members. She reported the matter to police.

The next day, she received a third call, requesting another withdrawal. She immediately called the police and an officer attended and waited for the collection to be made.

This time Musthafa Ali, aged 21, arrived at the address and tried to collect the money. He was subsequently arrested. Mizan evaded the officers on the scene in a vehicle.

Detectives examined Musthafa’s phone and found the address of the elderly woman and four other victims in his navigation history.

Musthafa was charged in relation to this case and a separate offence of the same nature in Didcot, Oxfordshire. He had committed the offence in January 2019 while he was on bail for this investigation.

The execution of a warrant led to the arrest of Mizan. His mobile phones were seized and found to contain the addresses of several victims.

He was later charged with five counts of fraud by false representation.

The victims were aged between 71 and 100 in and around the Kensington and Chelsea areas.

The scam by the two men resulted in the loss of more than £60,000.

The court heard Mizan was on licence at the time of the offences. He was released from prison in September 2018 after being convicted of fraud using a similar method in the Humberside area.

Both men admitted to the offences. Mizan Ali was jailed for three years and four months. Musthafa Ali was jailed for two years and six months.

Detective Constable Ant King from FALCON said:

“These men targeted vulnerable and elderly victims and defrauded them out of thousands of pounds.

“They masqueraded as police officers and couriers, and brazenly attended the home addresses of their victims to collect their criminal gains.

“The audacity demonstrated in these offences reflects the character of both defendants.”

“Whilst being investigated for the initial offences in Kensington and Chelsea, Musthafa Ali went on to commit an almost identical offence in Thames Valley.

“Mizan Ali was also on licence for his part in previous, similar offences. For exactly these reasons, I am pleased with the sentences handed to these two defendants.

“It means they are no longer on the streets and able to carry out further offences.

“I hope this investigation and court case act as a deterrent to anyone else considering targeting vulnerable individuals for their own financial gain.”