A MIDDLE man in a complex fraud, which saw east Lancashire pensioners including a 98-year-old cheated out of their life savings, has been jailed for 20 months.

Farhad Qazi, 27, was a lieutenant in a far-reaching con, where pensioners were targeted by telephone tricksters and persuaded to hand over their bank and credit cards, Preston Crown Court heard.

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Father-of-two Qazi recruited three couriers who then went around to the homes of victims in Blackburn, Rossendale and Hyndburn in order to pick up the cards.

Prosecutor John Close said there were around 11 victims — in a three-week period in July 2012 — but not all were duped into handing over their cards.

The pensioners were contacted by callers with Scottish accents, insisting that the security of their cards had been compromised.

The callers said the cards needed to be returned in an envelope also containing their PIN numbers.

Qazi, of Arthur Street, Brierfield, admitted conspiracy to defraud.

He was in contact with the masterminds behind the fraud and was responsible for funnelling the money back to Scotland, alongside providing pay-off to his couriers.

The court heard he brought three younger associates on board to pick up the cards. Rashid Ali, 19, of Derwent Close, Haslingden, was given a 19-month prison sentence. And two women, 18 and 19, received police cautions for their roles in the plot.

Mr Close said that the losses to the various victims from the thefts, or attempted thefts, had been estimated to be around £12,500.

The scam was even more effective as it appeared that the Scottish callers had real-time access to the pensioners’ bank accounts, and were able to establish their credentials by reference to direct-debit payments or bills which had been recently paid.

Victims later told police that the experience had left them feeling particularly vulnerable and distrustful of other people, said Mr Close.

The court heard that the stolen cash was used to buy mobile phones, Euros and alcohol.

Ken Hind, defending Qazi, said that his client now deeply regretted what he had done and wished to apologise to his elderly victims. Qazi had no idea how the Scottish end of the fraud operated and was merely a middle man who was responsible for recruiting Ali and the two women, the court heard.

After the case, Det Con Helen Mercer said: “This was a heinous crime.”

She urged people receiving any similar calls not to share personal details but contact the authorities immediately.