BBC News, North East and Cumbria
Three men have been imprisoned for stealing over £50,000 from vulnerable and often elderly victims through fraudulent schemes. Adam Rankin, 32, from Dumbarton, and Paul Brown, 27, who has no fixed address, each received a four-year sentence at Durham Crown Court for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. Irfan Yousaf, 41, from Glasgow, was sentenced to three and a half years for the same charge.
The trio targeted four individuals in the Durham area, employing tactics described by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) as “complex and manipulative.” They contacted victims via phone, posing as members of their bank’s “fraud squad,” claiming that the victims’ savings were at risk and needed to be safeguarded.
The men convinced their victims to transfer funds into different bank accounts and instructed them to leave cheques for couriers to collect. They also misused victims’ personal information to open loans and credit cards.
Brown pleaded guilty, while Rankin and Yousaf opted for a trial, where they were found guilty by a jury on August 2.
Detective Constable Nichola Gaines, who led the investigation, stated, “The victims suffered a total financial loss of over £50,000, with the emotional impact being just as damaging.” NEROCU Detective Sergeant Gillian Coulson emphasized that such offenders typically target the elderly, exploiting their trust under the guise of being from trusted institutions like banks or the police.
She urged the public to educate elderly relatives about the dangers of courier fraud.