A fraudster who conned three elderly victims out of a combined £17,400 has been jailed for 15 months and ordered to pay back all the money.

Mohammed Ibrahim, 20, of Broomfield Street in London, received the sentence at Warwick Crown Court on Tuesday, October 18.

In October 2020 Ibrahim persuaded the victims from Warwickshire and the West Midlands over the phone to withdraw thousands of pounds of cash from their banks and return home – where Ibrahim would come and pick it up.

He convinced them they were assisting the police with fraud investigations by withdrawing the cash and handing it over.

Det Sgt Paul Hainsworth, of Warwickshire Police's Economic Crime Unit, said: "Fraudsters such as Mohammed Ibrahim rely on targeting the elderly and the vulnerable – and the sentence he has received reflects the seriousness of these offences.

"In each instance, the victims were manipulated and pressured over the phone – with their good will and sense of public duty being preyed on.

"Those involved in scams like this should be under no illusion that they will face a custodial sentence, a criminal record and having to pay back what they have taken.

"The public should remember that the police will never tell you to withdraw cash from your bank account.

"Never be afraid to hang up and call the police. Any genuine police officer would never seek to stop you from ending the call and phoning back on 101.

"Make sure you do this from another telephone – as fraudsters will often stay on the line and try to hijack your next outgoing call."

For more advice on fraud prevention, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk