POLICE are warning about incidents of attempted courier phone fraud involving con artists posing as detectives.

West Mercia Police said a man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with an incident in Ross, and three similar incidents were also reported to the force that included two in Hereford and one Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire.

Courier fraud is usually when a fraudster phones their victim and claims to be from the police or another law enforcement authority or the bank.

No money or valuables were handed over in any of those incidents or found and the man arrested on suspicion of attempted fraud in the Ross case is currently helping officers with their enquiries.

Detective Sergeant Polly Price from Hereford Reactive CID said: “We are warning the public to remain vigilant around courier fraud and look out for vulnerable family or friends who are more at risk of falling victim to these con artists.

“The fraudsters were claiming to be a ‘Detective Warren Mason’ or ‘Detective Mason Warren’ from ‘Brixton Police’.

“Remember, courier fraudsters can seem convincing, but no police officer from any force will ever ask you to make a payment or purchase, withdraw or transfer money or ask for your bank details.

“If anyone does it will be a scam. Put the phone down and call the police or your bank from another landline or mobile to check, not the one you were called on.”

Anyone who thinks they may have been contacted by a bogus police officer should call 101 or report it via the force’s website ‘Report a crime’ but always in the case of an emergency dial 999.

The scammers dupe them into revealing their PIN and credit or debit card details or ask them to hand over cash or high value purchased items to a ‘courier’.

The most common victims of courier fraud are elderly people.