Financial Crime: Morad Limlahi Sentenced For Stealing Card Details To Load Funds

Fraudster sentenced to three years for £95,000 fraud

A fraudster who was the target in two separate police investigations has been jailed for three years following a Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) investigation.

Morad Limlahi, aged 27, of east London, was subject to two separate DCPCU investigations for stealing card details from customers at the shop on Oxford Street where he worked. He used the details to load funds onto travel money cards, which were then used to purchase luxury goods from pawn shops.

When he was arrested investigators from DCPCU found Limlahi had stolen the details of 139 cards, issued by a number of banks and card issuers.

Limlahi stole confidential customer account details while an employee at a Vodafone store in Oxford Street. The stolen card details were used to make purchases online and Limlahi was reported to the DCPCU after Vodafone and HSBC provided evidence which showed he was the common point of compromise for a number of bank cards on which fraud had occurred.

In a separate DCPCU investigation, Limlahi was arrested for using compromised bank cards to load £5,000 onto a travel money card. An accomplice of Limlahi’s used the travel money card to buy phones and gold jewellery from two pawnbrokers; CCTV showed Limlahi was present at both scenes.

The compromised bank card used to load funds onto the travel money card belonged to a customer Limlahi had served at Vodafone.

Limlahi committed fraud worth £95,000 and attempted a further £96,000, with the crimes committed between October 2012 and October 2014.

He pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position of trust at the Old Bailey and was sentenced today (1 August 2016).

Det Insp Sarah Ward, of the DCPCU, said:

“Would-be fraudsters need to know many organisations are looking out for their criminal activity and will ensure they are brought to justice.“

“The sentence given to Morad Limlahi shows there is no defence for abusing a position of trust and the police, banks, businesses and other organisations will do everything they can to identify and prosecute fraudsters.”

Established in April 2002, the DCPCU has since achieved an estimated £479 million in savings from reduced fraud activity.

ENDS

For further information please contact The Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK) Press Office on 020 3217 8436 or email Press@ukcards-ffauk.org.uk Notes to editors:

• 1. Sentences received: Morad Limlahi, 20/04/1989, of Rossendale Road, Clapton, London: three years.

The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) is a unique pro-active police unit, with a national remit, formed as a partnership between Financial Fraud Action UK, the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police together with the Home Office. It is fully sponsored by the cards and banking industries, with an on-going brief to investigate, target and, where appropriate, arrest and seek successful prosecution of offenders responsible for card, cheque and payment fraud crimes. It is headed up by a Detective Chief Inspector and comprises officers from the Metropolitan and City of London police forces who work alongside banking industry fraud investigators and support staff.

Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK) is responsible for leading the collective fight against fraud in the UK payments industry. Its membership includes banks, credit, debit and charge card issuers, and card payment acquirers in the UK. It provides a forum for members to work together on non-competitive issues relating to financial fraud. Its primary function is to facilitate collaborative activity between industry participants and with other partners.

Financial Fraud Action UK (www.financialfraudaction.org.uk) works in close partnership with The UK Cards Association on industry initiatives to prevent fraud on credit and debit cards, and the Cheque & Credit Clearing Company on credit clearing and cheque fraud.

The UK Cards Association is the trade body for the card payments industry in the UK, representing financial institutions which act as card issuers and acquirers. Members of the Association account for the vast majority of debit and credit cards issued in the UK – issuing in excess of 55 million credit cards and 95 million debit cards – and cover the whole of the payment card acquiring market.