A man who stole more than £1.1 million from elderly people by pretending to work for their banks has been jailed for 10 years following a major police investigation.
Azeem Mohammed, 35, was sentenced on Friday 16 October after admitting eight fraud offences committed between January 2022 and February 2024, with most of his victims living in the North East of Scotland.
The eight victims were aged between 79 and 89, and each was targeted through a sophisticated form of telephone fraud designed to convince them they were dealing with their own bank.
Mohammed contacted the victims directly, pretending to represent their financial institutions and exploiting the trust people place in organisations responsible for protecting their money.
Through these calls, he persuaded victims to part with substantial sums, with individual losses running into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The total amount fraudulently obtained exceeded £1.1 million.
The offences were investigated by Police Scotland in what detectives described as a complex and lengthy operation involving cooperation with other police forces across the United Kingdom and partner agencies.
The investigation ultimately resulted in Mohammed admitting eight offences and receiving a substantial prison sentence.
Detective Constable Ian Morrison, who was involved in the case, said:
“This was a complex and protracted investigation which included working with other police forces across the UK and partner agencies to ensure Mohammed was held accountable for his crimes.”
The financial losses were considerable, but detectives also highlighted the emotional harm caused to elderly people who had been deliberately targeted.
For victims, discovering that someone they believed was calling from their bank was actually attempting to steal their money can have consequences extending well beyond the immediate financial loss.
The experience can undermine confidence in everyday financial transactions and leave people worried about answering calls or dealing with legitimate organisations.
Detective Constable Morrison said:
“He targeted the elderly, causing them great emotional distresses and fraudulently obtained tens to hundreds of thousands of pounds from them.”
Bank impersonation fraud typically involves criminals pretending to represent a trusted financial institution, often using convincing language and information to make their approach appear genuine.
Although the exact conversations used by Mohammed have not been detailed in the police statement, the case demonstrates how significant losses can result when criminals successfully impersonate banks.
Police Scotland described the offending as organised financial crime rather than isolated incidents.
Detective Constable Morrison said:
“This was a sophisticated organised financial crime and I’d like to pay tribute to the tenancy of the investigation team who worked hard to bring this case before the courts.
“His conviction and sentencing underlines our commitment to proactive policing and investigation using all available resources, regardless of the extent and complexity of the offending.”
The case is a reminder of the importance of treating unexpected calls about bank accounts with caution, regardless of how convincing the caller may sound.
Anyone receiving a suspicious call claiming to be from their bank should end the conversation and contact the institution independently using a trusted telephone number.
Mohammed’s 10 year sentence brings the criminal proceedings to a conclusion, following an investigation into offences that caused substantial financial and emotional harm to eight elderly victims.
