Man who pretended to be elderly Cambridgeshire woman's daughter jailed

A police officer dialled the number used to contact the victim, and Madeo's phone rang

A man who pretended to be an elderly woman's daughter has been jailed for fraud.

Mario Madeo, 27, claimed to be his victim's daughter via text, and said "she" was in trouble with bailiffs.

He requested £9,000 and arranged to meet in Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, but the victim realised it was a scam before handing over any money.

Madeo pleaded guilty to fraud and was jailed for three years at Peterborough Crown Court.

He first texted the victim in March last year and claimed to be her daughter, using a friend's phone.

He posed as a bailiff and arranged to collect the money.

'People's heartstrings'

The victim said she was not thinking clearly but later in the day "alarm bells started to ring".

She called her daughter's usual number, then called the police.

The victim said: "Looking back, I should have known immediately she wouldn't be in any debt - being responsible with money is something we taught her from an early age.

"These fraudsters are getting ever more sophisticated in the way they go about things."

Police arrived at the meeting point and noticed Madeo inside a car holding a phone.

An officer dialled the number used to contact the victim, and Madeo's phone rang.

He was arrested for fraud by false representation, given a restraining order, and had his phone and sim cards destroyed.

Det Con Lauren Kirkup said: "I'm so relieved the victim realised it was a scam before she handed over any cash and gave us the opportunity to get hold of the person responsible.

"Sadly, this type of fraud is all too common these days and fraudsters are becoming ever more sophisticated in their attempts to get serious amounts of cash from their victims."

She said it is a commonly used tactic to "tug on people's heartstrings".