A criminal who systematically targeted and defrauded vulnerable elderly people, stealing more than £100,000, has been sentenced to six years and six months in prison.
The Elaborate Deception
Abdirahman Yalahow, 29, also known as Abdi Rahman, from Walsall in the West Midlands, conducted a cruel courier fraud operation between August and December 2024. He contacted eight victims by phone, impersonating either bank officials or police officers. Yalahow told the pensioners their accounts had been compromised by fraudsters and that they needed to take immediate action to secure their money.
During these calls, which sometimes lasted for hours, he used elaborate stories to build trust and reassure his victims. Having obtained their security details over the phone, he then convinced them to leave their bank cards outside for a courier to collect, or even to hand them over in person.
Spending Spree on Victims' Funds
Once in possession of the cards, Yalahow and his associates went on a spending spree. They purchased expensive goods and withdrew large sums of cash, draining the victims' accounts completely. The total amount stolen exceeded £100,000.
West Midlands Police's economic crime unit executed warrants at two addresses, where they recovered electronics, including mobile phones. Digital forensic experts examined these devices and secured evidence that directly linked Yalahow to the crimes.
Sentencing and Police Warning
Yalahow admitted conspiracy to defraud at Birmingham Crown Court in August and was sentenced on 22 December. Detective Sergeant Angela Warren-Smith, from the economic crime unit, condemned his actions.
"Yalahow spent hours on the phone to victims to convince them with elaborate stories, reassure them and build their trust, resulting in them handing over their personal information and bank cards," she said. "He had no regard for their wellbeing and saw them merely as pots of cash to be emptied."
DS Warren-Smith highlighted that courier fraud is an increasingly common offence, where criminals impersonate authority figures. She urged the public to speak to elderly or vulnerable relatives and friends about such scams to ensure they remain vigilant when receiving unsolicited calls.
This case follows the recent sentencing of another fraudster, Sharmarke Ahmed, of Wandsworth, London. In a separate but similar courier fraud in Cheshire, Ahmed posed as a detective and scammed a woman in her 90s out of £27,000 in cash and jewellery. He was sentenced to 28 months in prison for handling stolen goods after being identified via CCTV and phone analysis.
