Three men—Hamza Ali, Ahsan Naseer, and Ismail Sarwar—have been sentenced to three years in prison for impersonating police officers to defraud vulnerable victims out of thousands of pounds.
An investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) uncovered a cold calling scam that targeted landline numbers across Essex, Hertfordshire, and Kent between April and July. The trio convinced victims they were detectives investigating fraudulent bank activity and urged them to withdraw cash, purchase foreign currency, or buy high-value jewellery to hand over to a supposed courier involved in the operation.
In reality, the entire investigation was a sham, and the “courier” was part of the criminal network. The men deceived their victims, stealing approximately £51,000 from seven individuals and attempting to extract an additional £30,000.
Specialist financial investigators arrested the men in July, recovering burner phones, cash, and expensive vehicles. Ali, Naseer, and Sarwar all had previous convictions for similar offences. Additionally, Ali and Naseer breached Serious Crime Prevention Orders restricting their possession of multiple phones.
During sentencing at St Albans Crown Court on August 28, Judge Sheridan condemned the trio as “cruel and despicable” for targeting some of society’s most trusting and vulnerable members.
Detective Inspector Mhairi Shurmer of ERSOU’s Regional Organised Crime Unit emphasized the devastating impact of courier fraud and urged families to warn loved ones about such scams. “A police officer or bank employee will never ask you to withdraw cash or buy valuables for an investigation,” she said.
ERSOU will now pursue the confiscation of the criminals’ ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
