Fraudsters who cost Vodafone, EE, O2 and the Carphone Warehouse £430,000 have been jailed for a combined 11 years. 

The group used stolen personal details of existing customers to take out new phone contracts and obtain items like Apple Watches and iPads. 

Men from Gravesend and Dartford were jailed for their roles in the scheme, while a woman from Southwark was given a suspended sentence. 

Between April 2019 and March 2020 they stole mobile phone customers details, used fake ID and fake documents to impersonate those customers, and visited mobile phone stores to gain expensive mobile phones and other devices.   

The scheme came to light when a man reported that in the space of five days four mobile phone accounts had been opened in his name. 

An investigation by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary identified suspects. 

Their homes were raided and documents such fake passports, bankcards, bank statements, utility bills and stolen driving licences were found. 

On Friday (March 8) Oluwadamilola Bolaji, 32, of Black Eagle Drive in Gravesend, admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £145,000. He has been jailed for six years and three months. 

Taofeeq Balogun, 30, of no fixed address, admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £25,000. He has been jailed for three years. 

Taiwo Agusto, 43, of Osbourne Road in Dartford, admitted his part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £3,000. He has been jailed for one year and nine months. 

Carriba Johnson, 31, of Nelson Square in Southwark, London also admitted her part in the fraud conspiracy to the value of £2,500. She has been given a suspended sentence of 24 months imprisonment. 

DC Owain Davies from the Hampshire Police Economic Crime Team said “This investigation involved extensive analysis of a huge amount of financial documentation in order to gather the evidence needed to put these offenders before the court. 

“I hope that these results send a clear message to those who commit fraud that their actions won’t go unnoticed and that this type of behaviour will be investigated fully.”