Top Ten Fraudsters being caught 1 by 1

unknown ID fraudster who stole £650,000 from one victim. The 10 fraudsters are said to be responsible for £200 million worth of fraud in total.

Fraud cost the UK an estimated £38 billion last year – that’s £700 for everyone in the UK.

Lord Ashcroft, Chair of Crimestoppers, points out that fraud isn’t a victimless crime: “Every single one of us is paying higher taxes, bank charges and insurance fees because of fraud.”

Fraud against the public purse accounts for around £27 billion a year, he says. “This is equivalent to 30 per cent of the estimated national education budget for 2011/2012. Think of the many cuts and savings that would not have to occur if we did not suffer this level of fraud.”

■Name unknown: Wanted in connection with the misuse of a debit card and account details in the name of a legitimate customer. £650,000 was transferred out of the customer’s account.
■Nasser Ahmed: wanted for his role in a large scale VAT fraud in the region of £156 million in the Bristol area. He absconded during the trial and was sentenced to 6 years in his absence.
■Timur Mehmet: wanted for his role in a large scale VAT fraud of £25 million. He absconded prior to his trial and was sentenced in his absence to 8 years imprisonment.
■Misba Uddin: wanted for fraud by false representation after he submitted a number of fraudulent mortgage applications totaling £5.7 million pounds whilst working as a financial advisor. Once the mortgages were processed he transferred the funds in to his own accounts.
■Ajayi Seun: Charged with conspiracy to money launder and has failed to sign on at Sutton Police Station in breach of bail. He is believed to have conned mortgage lenders and banks out of more than £12 million.
■Peter Stead: Allegedly tricked several Derby landlords out of money in the summer of 2009. He offered to put on a comedy night to raise money for the Lewis Mighty Fund. He was given cash by landlords to secure the booking but failed to perform. The fund was launched to send four-year-old Lewis, a cancer patient, to America for treatment.
■Mohamad Khan: Responsible for using counterfeit credit cards in order to purchase high value items costing more than £100,000. He was arrested by Police and charged, however, subsequently failed to attend Crown Court. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.