Man who claimed to be a Glasgow police officer charged with fraud
The 18-year-old carried out the scams in Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire
An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of frauds in East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow.
Between Wednesday, 22 November, 2023 and Thursday, 11 January, 2024, officers received a number of reports from victims who were contacted by phone by a person claiming to be a police officer from Glasgow.
Some of the victims were convinced to hand over money, believing that they were assisting a police investigation.
On Wednesday, 24 January 2024, detectives in Glasgow arrested and charged an 18-year-old man in connection with the series of incidents in East Dunbartonshire and Glasgow.
He is due to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court today, Thursday, 25 January, 2024.
Detective Sergeant John Fagan, from the Economic Crime and Financial Investigation Unit in Glasgow, said: "I am aware of the impact these types of crimes have on members of the public and I hope this arrest highlights our commitment to tackling fraud.
"These criminals can come across very convincing, often making them very difficult to spot. I urge people to remain vigilant to these types of fraud and always be wary about providing personal details over the phone.
"Officers will never ask you to transfer money to another account, withdraw money from your account or disclose personal financial information, and nor will your bank.
"Should you have any concerns about any potentially fraudulent activity, please report this to us. I would also encourage people to reach out to family members, friends, neighbours and let them know about these opportunistic scams within the community."
Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of this scam or who has any information which may assist officers is asked to contact 101.