Fraudsters who fought over the pensioners they were fleecing jailed - Rochdale woman among victims of £97,000 scam

A group of fraudsters who squabbled over the vulnerable pensioners they were ripping off have been jailed - including for a scam that stripped £7,800 from a 77-year-old Rochdale woman.

Eight people have now been sentenced over a ruthless building scam that took around £97,000 from five elderly victims across England in the space of just three months. They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and related money laundering offences.

The fraudsters pressured pensioners into handing over cash, making bank transfers and signing large cheques for roof repairs that were never carried out.

The 77-year-old woman from Rochdale was pressured into handing over cash, making transfers and signing cheques totalling £7,800, forced to dip into savings to pay for work that was never done.

Some of the most disturbing details emerged when police examined messages recovered from the offenders' phones. Two rival groups of scammers had independently targeted the same vulnerable man in Ellesmere Port. They regularly took him to local cash machines and made him withdraw money, and also used his bank card to buy themselves food and groceries. As his money ran out, the two rival factions clashed over who had the right to keep defrauding him.

The offending only came to light when the man's regular direct debits started to bounce because his account had been drained, and he turned to a friend for help.

Other victims included an elderly man in Ellesmere Port persuaded to write cheques worth £34,500 for roof work that was never completed, an elderly woman in Coventry whose signed blank cheques were written out for £13,000, and an elderly woman in Corby who had unnecessary roof repairs carried out to a poor standard.

The stolen money was laundered through the bank accounts of several accomplices before being spent on expensive meals and luxury Rolex watches.

Tragically, two of the elderly victims died before the gang finally appeared in court and never saw justice served.

Detective Constable Rob Mackay, of Ellesmere Port CID, who led the investigation, described it as a lengthy and complex inquiry.

The case is a reminder of how doorstep criminals operate: unsolicited callers claiming urgent roof or building problems, pressure to pay immediately in cash or by cheque, and escorted trips to the bank. Trading standards advice is never to agree to work from a cold caller, to seek quotes from traders you approach yourself, and to talk to a trusted friend or family member before parting with money. Anyone who believes an elderly relative or neighbour is being targeted can contact police on 101, or Action Fraud.