Three men have been jailed after a courier-fraud scam targeted 85 elderly victims and took about £130,000 from people as old as 94.
David Peter Reilly, 52, Joseph Ituah, 27, and Uchechukwu Ihekwoaba, 25, worked as part of a wider criminal group that targeted vulnerable pensioners, according to SWNS.
The victims were contacted by scammers pretending to be bank officials. After the callers convinced them something was wrong with their accounts, members of the group went to victims’ homes to collect bank cards.
Reilly was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Ihekwoaba received two years and nine months, while Ituah was jailed for three years and three months.
The Scam Moved From Phone Calls To Front Doors
Courier fraud often starts with a call that sounds urgent and official. The victim is told there is a problem with a bank account, a card has been compromised, or money must be protected.
In this case, elderly victims were manipulated into believing they were dealing with trusted bank representatives. Once the scammers had their trust, couriers were sent to collect their bank cards.
Ituah and Ihekwoaba drove others to victims’ homes, while Reilly was a passenger, according to reports on the case. All three also spoke to victims at their homes and used fake names.
The fraud crossed from a phone call into victims’ homes, making the scam more frightening for pensioners who believed they were protecting their accounts.
The Cards Were Used To Withdraw Money
Once the group had the bank cards, money was taken through ATM withdrawals, according to the SWNS account.
The wider gang stole about £130,000 from 85 victims. The victims ranged in age up to 94.
The court heard that the victims were left traumatised by what happened. Judge Leslie Cuthbert told the men to think about the age and vulnerability of the people who had been targeted, according to reports on the case.
The sentencing closes this part of the case, but the method is still one police forces warn about often: a caller poses as a bank or police official, then sends someone to collect cards, cash, PINs, or valuables.
Banks Do Not Send Couriers For Cards
Police.uk says courier fraud happens when someone contacts a victim while pretending to be a police officer, bank official, or another trusted authority, then tricks them into handing over cash, bank cards, or expensive items to a courier.
A real bank or police officer will not send someone to a home to collect bank cards, PINs, cash, jewellery, or other valuables.
If a caller says a courier is coming, the person should hang up and contact the bank through a known number, such as the one on the back of the card. If a card has already been handed over, the bank should be contacted immediately so the card can be cancelled.