- Police believe fraudsters were taking money from the old to give to ISIS
- Pensioners were allegedly phoned and tricked into handing out details
- The caller would claim to be a police officer as part of the alleged scam
- One victim reportedly lost around £150,000 to criminals, police say
- Men, aged 37, 29 and 23, arrested in London after raids on seven properties
Published:
15:05 GMT, 4 March 2015
|
Updated:
07:27 GMT, 5 March 2015
Islamic fanatics are stealing the life savings of UK pensioners to bankroll jihad in Syria.
Masquerading as policemen, the extremists cold-call their targets and claim their bank details have been compromised.
The
frightened and unsuspecting victims are told to switch all their cash
to another account to keep it safe. But the account belongs to the
fraudsters and the money vanishes. It will be used to buy weapons,
ammunition and combat gear for Islamic State militants.
Police
last night warned the public to avoid becoming a victim of the ‘cash
for jihad’ telephone scam that mirrors swindles used by domestic con
men.
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Anti-terror
police are today searching seven addresses around London in relation to
an alleged scam in which the elderly were targeted and thousands of
pounds of their money being sent to extremists. File photo
The
extremists have cheated one pensioner of £150,000. Two other victims,
both aged in their 80s and from Cornwall, have lost £130,000 between
them.
Their only hope of getting their savings back is if the police can catch the culprits and find the cash.
And
yesterday Scotland Yard said that counter-terrorism officers had just
arrested two men – aged 29 and 37 – in west London and a man of 23 in
east London. They were being questioned last night on suspicion of fraud
and money laundering.
‘Officers are investigating a large-scale fraud linked to UK extremists travelling to Syria,’ a Scotland Yard spokesman said.
‘The
arrests form part of an ongoing fraud investigation, whereby
unsuspecting vulnerable and elderly victims are cold-called on their
home phone by a suspect impersonating a police officer, informing them
their bank account has been compromised and deceiving victims into
transferring money to an account under the control of the suspect.
‘Members
of the public are strongly advised, if you receive a call like this to
from someone claiming to be a police officer, hang up the phone, wait at
least five minutes to make sure the phone line has cleared, or use
another phone line, before ringing the phone number on your bank card.’
The Government is being urged to do more to stop the flow of money to Islamic State.
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Police suspect fraudsters linked to jihadists in Syria are targeting the elderly and vulnerable. File photo
It
is considered to be the richest terror group in history and may have
access to more than £1.2billion in cash. Its funds come from the revenue
of captured oil fields, business extortion and hostage ransoms.
There are also concerns that donations to British aid organisations are being diverted to terrorists.
The
Charity Commission is scrutinising 86 foundations it believes could be
at risk from extremism. Thirty-seven are working to help victims of the
Syria crisis.
The
commission has launched full-scale investigations into four charities
operating in the Middle East, including the group that hostage Alan
Henning was working for when he was kidnapped and later killed. Another
organisation under suspicion is said to have been infiltrated by a
suicide bomber.
High
street banks are closing or freezing accounts held by UK charities
working in conflict zones, a think tank claimed yesterday.
Salaries
paid to the bank accounts of aid workers who live outside the UK have
also been delayed or blocked, the Overseas Development Institute said.
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