A man from London has been charged in connection with three Dacorum incidents where people were conned into parting with their bank cards and details.
Regaul Miah, of Orkney House, was arrested in Kings Cross on Friday and has since been charged with fraud by false representation.
The incidents – two in Berkhamsted on October 16 and 31 and one in Hemel Hempstead on November 8 – are believed to be part of a large-scale phone scam that often targets the elderly. In the three cases the victims were 70, 84 and 88 years old.
They were phoned by a man who said he was a police officer investigating the fraudulent use of their bank cards. They were asked to provide their bank details, including pin numbers and told that a ‘courier’ would be sent to collect the cards, which happened a short time later.
After the victims parted with their cards, large amounts of money was subsequently stolen from their bank accounts.
Miah, 25, has been released on bail and is due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on Monday, November 25.
Dacorum-based Chief Insp Glen Channer said: “While this arrest has been made, I would urge the public not to be complacent. There are still offenders attempting to carry out these offences.
“It is important that people are aware of this crime so they don’t fall prey to the same con.
“Police officers would never ask people to part with any bank details so I would ask anyone faced with a similar call not to part with this information.”
People who receive this type of scam call are advised to use a mobile phone to call the police or leave the landline for at least five minutes before attempting to make an outside call as tricksters sometimes stay on the line.