Scammers tricked vulnerable people into handing over £11,000

A phone scamming ring who tricked vulnerable elderly people into handing over thousands of pounds were snared following an undercover police operation.

Arbaaz Khan, 31, was part of a group of cruel scammers who persuaded nine pensioners, average age 87, to urgently hand over their bank cards.

Khan would send a ‘runner’ to collect the card from the victims’ homes – before the group drained all the money from their accounts.

In total, they stole £11,940 over nine offences between 1 November 2021 and 16 February 2022.

On the day Khan was arrested, he had directed a runner in the ring to the home of a 101-year-old woman.

One victim said that the scammers had stolen their savings.

They explained: ‘I felt really, really low after this happened. I made the mistake and now I will have to pay for it.

Hanad Mohamed, 20, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal (Picture: Met Police / SWNS)

Bradley Goode, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal (Picture: Met Police / SWNS)

The gang conend elederly people out of their life savings (Picture: Met Police / SWNS)

‘This money was my savings.

‘I would encourage anyone who is the victim of a crime like this to contact the police and help prevent this happening.’

The Met conducted a three-month undercover operation to catch the scammers preying on the elderly – using CCTV, eyewitness accounts, phone monitoring, and more to trace the ring.

The investigation began after a report from a pensioner in Hampstead, and soon, detectives had linked that crime to other reports across London and tracked down those responsible.

Khan pleaded guilty on 12 March to conspiracy to steal and is due to be sentenced on 9 May at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Other members of the ring, Bradley Goode, 23, and Hanad Mohamed, 20, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.

Mohamed is due to be sentenced alongside Khan in May, while Goode has already been handed a community order of 120 hours unpaid work.

The gang were ensnared by a police sting operation (Picture: Met Police / SWNS)

Abi Wood, CEO, Age UK London, said: ‘This is a terrible case of scamming older people who are so often targeted for this type of crime.

‘In this case, the work of the Met Police officers has been vital to prevent any more people becoming victims and we are pleased to see that the criminals were caught.

‘Our advice to older people is to say no. Never disclose your bank details either over the phone or to someone in person who asks for it and never hand over your bank cards.

‘If you are unsure, check with your bank or someone you know before doing anything.

‘For doorstep scams, keep all doors locked when answering the door as people can work together.

‘Use a chain on the door, especially if you are not expecting anyone, ask for ID, and ask them to wait while you check with their organisation.

‘A genuine person would not mind you doing this. If you feel unsafe or pressured, contact family, a friend, or the police.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.