Four people who pleaded guilty to defrauding Vodafone, EE, O2 and the Carphone Warehouse of £429,304 have been jailed for a combined total of 11 years at Portsmouth Crown Court.
According to a statement released by Hampshire police, the offences came to light when a Hampshire resident told the police that between Friday 14 February 2020 and Wednesday 19 February 2020, four mobile phone accounts had been opened up in his name without his permission or knowledge.
EE contracts had been taken out in the Fareham and Waterlooville Carphone Warehouse stores and phones were also taken out in O2 and Vodafone stores.
Hampshire police then contacted EE who discovered the resident’s details had been used for a series of frauds.
The fraudsters used the personal details of existing customers from all over England and Wales to take out new phone contracts and obtain expensive mobile phones and similar items such as Apple Watches and iPads.
Three Nigerians jailed for fraud in the UK
Four people who pleaded guilty to defrauding Vodafone, EE, O2 and the Carphone Warehouse of £429,304 have been jailed for a combined total of 11 years at Portsmouth Crown Court.
According to a statement released by Hampshire police, the offences came to light when a Hampshire resident told the police that between Friday 14 February 2020 and Wednesday 19 February 2020, (five days) four mobile phone accounts had been opened up in his name without his permission or knowledge.
EE contracts had been taken out in the Fareham and Waterlooville Carphone Warehouse stores and phones were also taken out in O2 and Vodafone stores.
Hampshire police then contacted EE who discovered the resident’s details had been used for a series of frauds.
The fraudsters used stol£n personal details of existing customers from all over England and Wales to take out new phone contracts and obtain expensive mobile phones and similar items such as Apple Watches and iPads.
An investigation by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary identified suspects.
Their homes were raided and documents such as fake passports, bankcards, bank statements, utility bills and stolen driving licences were found.
On Friday (March 8) Oluwadamilola Bolaji, 32, of Black Eagle Drive in Gravesend, admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £145,000. He has been jailed for six years and three months.
Taofeeq Balogun, 30, of no fixed address, admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £25,000. He has been jailed for three years.
Taiwo Agusto, 43, of Osbourne Road in Dartford, admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £3,000. He has been jailed for one year and nine months.
Carriba Johnson, 31, of Nelson Square in Southwark, London also admitted her part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £2,500. She has been given a suspended sentence of 24 months imprisonment.
DC Owain Davies from the Hampshire Police Economic Crime Team said “This investigation involved extensive analysis of a huge amount of financial documentation in order to gather the evidence needed to put these offenders before the court.
“I hope that these results send a clear message to those who commit fraud that their actions won’t go unnoticed and that this type of behaviour will be investigated fully.”
