Two men arrested after Preston pensioner conned out of £200,000 in 'courier fraud'

Officers arrested two men after executing two warrants at addresses in Blackburn yesterday (September 22).

The men, aged 51 and 41, were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud offences after a woman reported being conned out of £200,000 between April and July this year.

They have since been released under investigation and enquiries are ongoing, according to police.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "Two men have been arrested by police investigating a £200,000 courier fraud in Preston.

"If you suspect you may have been a victim of fraud or online crime contact Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and internet crime reporting centre."

The victim, a woman in her 70s from Preston, said she had received a phone call from a man who claimed to be from her bank.

He suggested her bank account had been used by fraudsters to buy products from several retailers, before asking for the woman's PIN numbers for her accounts.

After providing her details the man said the items would arrive at her address, but the bank would send someone from their fraud team to recover the products so they could be used as evidence.

Items totalling £200,000 were later bought using her account. When the products arrived at her address she called the man who then sent someone to collect the items.

The man told the woman not to report the issues to police, but instead allow the fraud team to deal with the transactions.

It wasn't until the bank spotted the transactions that the crime was reported to police.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, contact Action Fraud at 0300 1232040 or via their website actionfraud.police.uk