Counter-terror-police-arrest-three-men-cold-call-scam-targeting-elderly-victims.html

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

By Arthur Martin for the Daily Mail and Richard Spillett for MailOnline

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.

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.

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.