Scammer conned elderly victims out of £100,000 to fund taste for ‘expensive goods’

A brazen fraudster who stole £100,000 from vulnerable pensioners by posing as a police officer has been jailed for six years and six months.

Abdirahman Yalahow, known as Abdi Rahman, phoned victims claiming criminals had obtained their bank details.

The 29-year-old, from Walsall, convinced a string of elderly people to hand their bank cards over – to a courier or in person.

Yalahow, having already got their security details over the phone, would empty their bank accounts, lavishing their savings on ‘expensive goods’.

He impersonated figures of authority, including police officers and bank staff, to demand money or bank details.

Det Sgt Angela Warren-Smith, of West Midlands Police, said: ‘Yalahow spent hours on the phone to victims to convince them with elaborate stories, reassure them and build their trust, resulting in them handing over their personal information and bank cards.

‘He had no regard for their wellbeing and saw them merely as pots of cash to be emptied.’

Yalahow snatched £100,000 from eight victims between August and December, 2024.

Police nabbed him after searching two addresses where they found incriminating evidence on electronic devices.

Yalahow admitted to a charge of conspiracy to defraud in August and was sentenced on Monday, December 22.

Earlier this month, a ‘charming’ romance scammer was jailed for 17 years after swindling five single mums.

Nigel Baker, 56, met the women on dating apps like Plenty of Fish, convincing them to hand over hundreds of thousands of pounds.

He squandered their savings on gambling, with one betting account used by Baker racking up almost £4 million in losses.

Det Sgt Angela Warren-Smith said: ‘We know that courier fraud is becoming an increasingly common offense, with offenders impersonating figures of authority, including police officers and bank staff, to demand money or details about bank accounts.

‘I’d ask that anyone who has an elderly or vulnerable relative or friend to have a chat with them about crimes like these and make sure they’re alert when they answer their phone to someone they don’t know.’

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