Elderly victims lose £27k in Leicestershire courier fraud scams

The scammers sound genuine, police said

Detectives have issued a warning after criminals posing as police persuaded pensioners to withdraw large sums of cash which they then sent couriers to steal.

Leicestershire Police said there had been a spate of courier fraud in which two victims lost more than £27,000.

A third victim was targeted but lost no money after he became suspicious and alerted his bank.

The force said the incidents were worrying.

It has urged people to be on their guard against convincing and plausible cold callers asking them to take cash from their bank accounts.

A 79-year-old man from Oadby was called between Tuesday 20 June and Wednesday 21 June by someone claiming to be a police officer investigating counterfeit currency at the victim's bank, officers said.

The caller told the man he needed him to withdraw cash to check the serial numbers on notes and sent riders who took £9,000 from him.

'Hang up'

A 74-year-old woman from the Clarendon Park, Leicester, was also contacted, on Friday, by a bogus police officer claiming to be investigating counterfeit currency.

She was asked to purchase some Euros so they could be checked and more than £18,000 of the currency was then collected from her home address.

Nicole McIntyre from the force's economic crime unit, said: "It's very worrying that two of the three victims have lost so much money.

"This type of offence is of great concern to us. Suspects are targeting elderly or vulnerable people - they sound genuine and gain the trust of the victims.

"The police or banks would not contact people in this way. If you get a call like this hang up."