Charnwood OAP handed over £40,000 of gold coins to scammers

Police are urging residents to beware of courier fraud.

A scam saw a woman in her 80s conned out of over £40,000 by people claiming to work the police and her bank.

On 11 May, the woman - who lives Rothley - was contacted by telephone by someone purporting to be a police officer, who said her credit card had been fraudulently used by her grandson.

When the woman explained she did not have a grandson, she was told the card had been cloned.

She was then transferred to someone she was told worked for her bank.

Over the next few weeks, the original caller re-contacted her, eventually encouraging her to buy more than £40,000 worth of gold coins, which were delivered to her address. The caller then agreed for these to be collected by someone on 25 June.

On Friday (2 July), having heard nothing further from the original caller, the woman contacted her bank. They knew nothing of the calls she had been receiving and told her to contact police.

Enquiries into the incident – led by the force’s Economic Crime Unit – are continuing and anyone with information is asked to get in touch.

Paul Wenlock, from the ECU, said: “First and foremost I would urge people living across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to remain vigilant and be aware of such scams.

“These types of fraudsters often target the elderly and vulnerable. Please speak to family members, neighbours and friends and pass the message on so they do not fall victim.”