A cruel thief involved in a courier fraud scam which saw pensioners conned of more than £50,000 in just over a week has been jailed.

Rene Cardin collected cash from a number of men and women – aged between 68 and 85 - after they’d been tricked by scammers in April.

The victims received a telephone call from someone claiming to be a police officer who stated counterfeit currency was being used at their local branch and they needed help to investigate. 

The targets across the Birmingham, Dudley, Solihull and Wolverhampton areas were told to withdraw money – under the guise it had to be examined – which was picked up from their homes by 23-year-old Cardin.

Officers traced Cardin to the appalling crime spree after securing CCTV footage of her car near one of the victims’ addresses. 
 
From there they were able to begin linking her to other offences which had led to more than £50,000 combined being stolen across the region in just eight days. 
 
She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud - linked to six victims - at Birmingham Crown Court. Two other cases were taken into consideration and Cardin, of Cowles Croft, Birmingham, was jailed for three years last Wednesday (9 June). DC Edward Spokes, from the economic crime unit, said:

"This was an appalling crime spree where vulnerable people were targeted and lost thousands of pounds of money. One woman was tricked into handing over more than £18,000.

"We know Cardin was the courier, rather than the impersonators making the phone calls, but she's never disclosed who she was working alongside.

"She's rightly lost her freedom and we're urging the public to be on their guard against con artists who are looking to exploit their vulnerability for cash."

To report an incident call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or contact police via Live Chat or by calling 101.

Officers are warning people to be on their guard against scams. They’re reminding people that:

A police officer or government official will never ask you to withdraw money to collect for evidence. A police officer would never ask you to buy expensive items to clear criminal funds.

If an individual asks you to provide your PIN number, other passwords or give your bank card to them through a courier, this is a scam.

If you receive a call asking you to provide large amounts of money and they threaten you to not tell anyone, this is not a government official, this is a scam.

If someone who has asked you for money tells you to lie to the bank or the police, this is a scam.

If the bank or police call you unexpectedly and ask for personal or financial information ask for their name and number. Make sure you call them back on a different phone either using the banks number on their verified website and the police using the 101 number.’

Speak to friends and family before you carry out any requests, just because they state they are from the bank or police does not mean they are.