Investigation into cold-callers posing as police officers to 'trick elderly'

Two suspects have been arrested as part of a North East investigation into cold-callers who have been targeting older people.

A man and a woman were arrested in Durham as part of an enquiry into an elderly victim who had been repeatedly targeted and had handed over cash totalling £100,000. They both remain in police custody.

Over the last few days, officers in the Northumbria and Durham forces have been told about a number of ‘courier fraud’ incidents where victims have been cold-called by a group posing as officers from the Metropolitan Police.

Police say the offenders have then attempted to "trick their elderly victims, often in their 80s and 90s, into believing they have already fallen victim to a scam and are coerced into sending money, bank cards and other valuable ‘evidence’ to the fraudsters via a courier". 

None of the recent reports across Northumbria have resulted in any of the victims handing over cash but one elderly man who had been contacted had gone into a bank in Hebburn to withdraw several thousands of pounds.

If you think you might have been a victim of courier fraud, or any other kind or fraud, you are asked to contact police via 101.