A talented student who has gone wayward have been caught sending thousands of phishings, scam mails and texts that would unwittingly invite unwary users to give up their bank details in return for a ‘COVID-19 tax break’.
The Camden resident has officially admitted and plead guilty on charges of f fraud by false representation and one count of possessing an article for use in fraud. The mails cleverly included the Official British Government logo, all used to gather information that would be used ‘with a view to committing fraud against their bank accounts’
District Judge Alexander Jacobs told Khan: ‘It’s even worse to capitalise on Covid-19 – a phrase that brings shudders to everybody – and you’re using it to your advantage.
’ The judge expressed concern the elderly were especially vulnerable to this scam as they cannot ‘turn to family members to ask if this message is legitimate’ during the pandemic. Khan had been operating a number of sophisticated scams since 2017 but began to exploit the crisis the day before lockdown came into effect on March 22.
Khan, who lives with his parents and two siblings, was arrested last week at his home in Camden and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via videolink. His lawyer Kevin Molloy told the court ‘he wasn’t doing it to get himself an expensive pair or trainers’ but because his family lives in ‘abject poverty’.
Malachy Pakenham, prosecuting, said: ‘Last month the dedicated card payment unit of London police commenced an investigation into fraudulent texts received by victims purporting to be from government sites promising tax refunds due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
It’s a phishing campaign to dupe customers to enter their personal details and passwords by sending a fraudulent website link. ‘It gets them to enter their bank details on a fake website set up by the defendant. ‘The information is captured and transferred by email to the defendant.
This allows the defendant to harvest personal information with a view to committing frauds against their bank accounts. ‘The number sent out had a link which invited people to enter their details. The fraud has logos, insignia that are remarkably similar to UK government websites so one would think that it was from Her Majesty’s government.
‘He had set up frauds from February 2017. This demonstrates a high level of knowledge of computers and he’s obviously a very clever person.’
Judge Jacobs said: ‘He was sending text messages to people saying they are entitled to a refund of tax.
The police investigation indicates this defendant distributed fraudulent websites and templates to other fraudsters and co-conspirators. ‘He’s in control of the files, enabling him to receive the duped victim’ harvested details.
It’s a main role he’s playing in this. There were messages showing he was passing banking details on to somebody via WhatsApp.’
The judge told Khan: ‘You have pleaded guilty to a sophisticated fraud in which I’m perfectly satisfied you are the main player.
What you did was to prey on the vulnerability of the majority of people in society who at this present moment are worried, petrified, fearful about their future, about their jobs, about their homes, making ends meet, getting back to work or whether they still have a job.
Sometimes this is coupled with having to deal with serious illnesses of themselves or of their family and very many having to deal with bereavement. Along you come, praying on those people, on anyone who might be gullible enough, and there are people sadly who would click on these scams including the elderly and others who are vulnerable because of the circumstances we find ourselves in right now.
Some of whom might turn to family members to ask if this message is legitimate but so many are isolating so what you have admitted doing is sickening. It’s bad enough to prey on these individuals. It’s even worse to capitalise on Covid-19 – a phrase that brings shudders to everybody – and you’re using it to your advantage.
The sentencing powers of this court are insufficient to deal with this behaviour. You will be sent to a crown court for sentencing.’
Mr Molloy told the court: ‘He’s a straight-A student who turned 20 a number of weeks ago.
This is not somebody in some boiler room with screens everywhere. He lives in a two-bedroom flat and he looks after his sick 10 year old brother every night who he shares a room with. He has incredible GCSE and A Level results, he’s heading for a first while living in abject poverty in two rooms.
He wasn’t doing it to get himself an expensive pair or trainers or spend it on a girlfriend. He got AAB at A level. He’s at Queen Mary University reading Politics and International Relations. He lives at home. He has a young brother and sister.
Sister and mum in one room and him and his brother in another. The father sleeps in the living room.’
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Replaced!