Rotherham phone scam gang face jail

Waseem Rashid (26) and Kaleem Hussain (31), both from Rotherham, stole the identities of around 1,500 Vodafone customers which were transferred on to new SIM cards.

Along with co-defendants Imran Rasab (35) and Nadeem Ali (26), they transferred their accounts on to blank SIM cards and racked up huge bills with lengthy and repeated calls from Ukraine to rented lines the gang had set up.

The fees from the international premium rate phone calls then went straight into the pockets of the fraudsters — at the genuine subscribers’ expense.

After a five-week trial at Blackfriars Crown Court, a jury convicted Rashid, Rasab and Ali of conspiracy to defraud between January 1, 2009 and September 12, 2010.

Hussain had admitted the same charge.

Judge Henry Blacksell QC adjourned sentence until April 11.