Tameside woman sentenced after police smash UK-wide courier fraud ring that stole £250,000 from elderly victims
Nadia Simelane, 34, from Ashton-under-Lyne, is one of four fraudsters brought to justice after a scam that tricked elderly people into handing over bank cards and PINs to fake couriers. Victims were targeted across the country, from Newcastle to Stoke-on-Trent.
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An elderly man answered the phone to someone he believed was his bank. By the time police caught up with the fraudsters, more than £250,000 had been stolen from victims across the country.
Now a woman from Tameside, together with three others, has been sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court after the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) dismantled what it described as "a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation."
How did the scam work?
The gang ran what police call a "courier fraud" operation. They would phone elderly victims, posing as bank officials or police officers, and tell them there had been fraudulent activity on their accounts. A courier would then be sent to the victim's home to collect their bank cards, PIN numbers and mobile phones.
Once they had the cards, the fraudsters made large cash withdrawals and went on spending sprees. When police searched vehicles linked to the group, they found thousands of pounds' worth of Apple products alongside high-value items from Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, as well as multiple mobile phones and bank cards in other people's names.
The investigation began last August after an elderly man reported being contacted by someone claiming to be from his bank. Detectives went on to uncover further victims in Newcastle, Northumberland, Cleveland, Darlington, Leeds, Colchester, Keswick, Shipley, Derbyshire and Stoke-on-Trent, all linked to the same network.
Who was sentenced?
All four defendants pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court.
Nadia Simelane, 34, of Trafalgar Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, admitted conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. She was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
Saif Hussain, 31, of Gilpin View, Leeds, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and was jailed for four years and three months.
Brendan Mbara, 27, of Middleton Little Road, Allerton Bywater, Castleford, admitted conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. He was sentenced to three years and 10 months.
Faith Moyo, 21, of Gamblehill Drive, Bramley, pleaded guilty to the same charges as Simelane and received the same suspended sentence and unpaid work order.
NEROCU Detective Constable Sophie Snowdon said: "Courier fraud is an abhorrent crime which generally targets the elderly and most vulnerable in our communities and thankfully, this is just the latest robust action taken against criminals looking to implement and run fraud operations in our region."
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is courier fraud?
- Courier fraud involves criminals phoning victims, posing as police or bank officials, and convincing them to hand over cash, bank cards, or valuables to a courier sent to their home.
- What sentence did the Tameside woman receive?
- Nadia Simelane, 34, from Ashton-under-Lyne, received a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, plus 150 hours of unpaid work.
- How much money was stolen by the fraud network?
- The criminal group stole more than £250,000 in total from victims across various parts of the UK, using the funds for cash withdrawals and luxury goods.