Four people have been sentenced after scamming £250,000 from elderly and vulnerable victims in a large-scale courier fraud operation. Saif Hussain, Brendan Mbara, Nadia Simelane and Faith Moyo were part of the fraud, which involved victims in Newcastle and Northumberland.
How the fraud worked
Last August, officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) received a report from Northumbria Police of an elderly man who had been contacted by fraudsters claiming to be from his bank. The scammers told the victim there had been fraudulent activity on his account and that a courier would attend his home to collect his bank cards, pin number and phone.
The fraudsters then used the cards to make large cash withdrawals and purchases. During the investigation, police uncovered further victims in Newcastle, Northumberland, Cleveland, Darlington, Leeds, Colchester, Keswick, Shipley, Derbyshire and Stoke-on-Trent, all linked to the operation – with over £250,000 in total scammed from victims.
Arrests and sentencing
NEROCU officers, supported by Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) and Greater Manchester Police, identified suspects and carried out a strike phase. Brendan Mbara, 27, Saif Hussain, 31, Nadia Simelane, 34, and Faith Moyo, 21, were arrested and charged.
Searches of cars during the investigation uncovered thousands of pounds worth of Apple products and high value items from Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. Police also found multiple mobile phones and bank cards in the names of others.
On Friday, the four appeared at Newcastle Crown Court. Hussain, of Gilpin View, Leeds, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and was sentenced to four years and three months. Mbara, of Middleton Little Road, Allerton Bywater, Castleford, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering and was sentenced to three years and 10 months.
Simelane, of Trafalgar Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years and 150 hours unpaid work. Moyo, of Gamblehill Drive, Bramley, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering and was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years and 150 hours unpaid work.
Police response
NEROCU Detective Constable Sophie Snowdon, part of NEROCU's Proactive Economic Crime Team, said: "Courier Fraud is an abhorrent crime which generally targets the elderly and most vulnerable in our communities and thankfully, this is just the latest robust action taken against criminals looking to implement and run fraud operations in our region."
She added: "I would like to thank everyone involved in this investigation, our partners in Northumbria Police, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) and Greater Manchester Police, this has been yet another fantastic display of a united police front against fraudsters."
Anyone with information about criminal activity can report it to their local police or via the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Fraud can also be reported to Report Fraud through their website or 0300 123 2040.
