Teenager arrested in connection with £11,000 courier scam

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a courier fraud in Windsor.

Between May 27 and Tuesday, June 2, an elderly woman was contacted by someone claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police.

She was told her bank account was involved in fraud and had received counterfeit money.

The victim was then persuaded to make a number of cash withdrawals that were collected from her home address.

More than £11,000 was taken before police arrested the suspect at the scene.

The suspect, from London, has been released on bail until July 21.

Thames Valley Police is urging people with elderly or vulnerable relatives, friends or neighbours to remain vigilant.

The advice it gives is:

• Your bank and/or the police will never ask for your PIN.
• Your bank will never attend your home to deliver a replacement card or to collect cash.
• Your bank and/or the police will never collect your bank card.

If someone calls and says they are a police officer, ask for their shoulder number, hang up, and call 101 from a different phone to check they are who they say they are.

A number of variations of this type of scam exist and police advice is that if you receive such a call is to report it immediately.

Call the police on 101 or Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. In an emergency, dial 999.