‘Fake cop’ from Luton ordered to repay elderly victims he conned out of thousands

A man from Luton who pretended to be a police officer to scam elderly people have been ordered to pay back his victims.

Over two months, 29-year-old Hamza Ali, of Peregrine Road, Luton, and Ahsan Naseer, 31, of Larch Road, Cricklewood in London, called 10 people pretending to be police officers investigating fraud.

The pair targeted elderly and vulnerable people, convincing them that they had been defrauded and asked if they would help police to catch the alleged ‘suspects’.

The victims, who were largely based in Derbyshire, were conned into taking thousands of pounds from their accounts after the men said it would be stolen by criminals if they didn’t.

Couriers, who also posed as police, collected the cash from the victims’ homes and delivered it to Ali and Naseer.

The victims only discovered they were being conned when they were contacted by genuine detectives from Derbyshire Constabulary and Greater Manchester Police.

The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) took over the investigation after it was found that the suspects formed part of a nationwide organised criminal network.

Ali and Naseer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and, in March 2023, were each sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.

The pair have also been ordered to repay more than £50,000, with nearly £20,000 going to the victims of their crimes.

Financial investigators looked at how much the men had earned for their crimes, and at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, April 12, Ahsan Naseer was ordered to pay back £25,433 whilst Hamza Ali was told to repay £25,770. A compensation order of more than £19,000 was also made to three of the victims who had not already been compensated by their bank.

Detective Inspector Mhairi Shurmer, from ERSOU's Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “Ali and Naseer preyed on some of the most vulnerable members of society and took advantage of the trust that they hold in the police.

“We hope we have been able to restore their faith by bringing these men to justice and ensuring that they do not profit from their despicable acts of criminality.

“ERSOU is committed in the fight against fraud and will seek out and prosecute those who deceive and deprive others.”