Fraudster jailed for eight months after posing as a policeman in Aberdeen
Nazeeb El-Syed is originally from London
Last updated 10th Mar 2017
A fraudster was jailed today after impersonating a police officer in a "highly sophisticated" fraud to steal cash from bank customers.
Nazeeb El-Syed turned up at victims homes in the Aberdeen area to collect their bank cards after getting access to their PIN numbers.
By pretending to be a police officer, he informed them that they had been victims of crime then took off with their cards withdrawing cash from ATMs.
One of his victims was an 81-year-old man.
El-Syed, 21, of 23 Starcross Street, London, was jailed for eight months when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after pleading guilting to four offences.
Depute fiscal Marie Irvine said the first victim, Shyla Kishore, was told in a telephone call by a man claiming to be a police officer that two men had been arrested with bank cards linked to her home address.
Ms Irvine said: "Shyla Kishore was then advised by the male that he would try to go with her to her bank in order to cancel the cards.
"She was then greeted by a female voice who advised her that she was a representative of the HSBC banking group.
"Shyla Kishore was then asked to input her PIN number into her telephone touch pad in order to cancel the cards which she did.
"The victim was then passed back to the male caller who informed her that an evidence gathering officer would come to her address to take her bank cards for further analysis."
A short time later, an Asian male turned up at her house and took her cards away. When she contacted police the following day, she realised she had been the victim of fraud.
El-Syed had gone to an ATM in the city and withdrawn a total of 1,000 pounds on two occasions in July last year.
An elderly man was targeted in a similar fraud a few weeks later.
He was informed during a telephone call that he had been the victim of credit card fraud on July 26.
David Johnston handed over three of his bank cards to a man claiming to be a police officer when he turned up at his home to collect them.
He also lost 1,000 pounds in the scam.
El-Syed admitted two charges of committing fraud while acting with others people, and two charges of theft when he appeared in court in February.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond said he was imposing the maximum sentence he could for the crimes.
The sheriff said the crimes demonstrated a "high degree" of planning and sophistication.
Police warned the public to be in their guard when dealing with people requesting personal details during telephone calls.
Inspector Lee Jardine said: "El- Syed contacted members of the public on their home telephone numbers late at night posing as a police officer in Aberdeen.
"On occasions El- Syed was successful in stealing victim's money however there were numerous other occasions where he was unsuccessful.
"Despite efforts to conceal his identity, officers were able to trace El-Syed and he was detained on 30 August 2016 at Aberdeen Airport.
"It is extremely important that members of the public are on their guard from callers asking for your banking details or personal information. You should never, ever provide your banking information, bank card, PIN number or personal details to anyone whether on the phone or in person - no official body will ever ask you for these details especially on your doorstep, on the phone, by email or letter."