Insurance Fraudster's £7K I Phone Scam

An insurance fraudster, who created ten bogus identities in a £7,000 I Phone scam was spared jail today.

Shufahit Hussain, 23, of Back Chapel Street, Tottington, Bury, Lancashire was arrested despite smashing his laptop's hard drive with a hammer during a police raid.

He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates' Court (pictured) to ten charges of fraud by false representation between October 13 and 31, last year in relation to home insurance policies he created.

“This an allegation of fraud against Aviva and the creation of fraudulent policies, all in the name of Smith,” said prosecutor Mr. Manjit Mahal.

“The policies were taken out by phone on the first of October last year in the same surname.

“All the policies were opened using the same bank details and they relate back to Mr. Hussain.

Mr. Hussain, posing as a Mr. Smith on each occasion attempted to make claims for the loss of mobile phones, alledging he had lost them on the way to work.

The police were made aware and they discovered the person making all the calls was the same person, Mr. Hussain.

“On each occasion the person claiming to be Mr. Smith claims the phone was lost on the route to work and the loss had been reported to the police.”

West Yorkshire Police had eight crime numbers for the claims, however four of the references were for different items.

“As far as West Yorkshire Police were concerned the numbers came back not as I Phones, but other makes of phones.”

On April 25 Hussain was not at home when police raided his house, but found him at his brother's address in Burnley.

“Officers knocked on the door and there was a ten minute delay,” explained Mr. Mahal. “The officers were aware that a person was peering out of the window at them.

Police eventually gained access and searched a room the defendant used and slept in during visits.

“In his room was a Samsung laptop with the hard drive removed and destroyed.
“Hussain had used a metal hammer to destoy the hard drive.”

If the scam was successful Aviva would have lost £7,200.

“He has done something very similar in the past,” added Mr. Mahal, explaining Hussein was conditionally discharged by Blackburn Magistrates Court for deception in 2010.

He was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, ordered to perform 100 hours community service and pay £85 costs.