Detectives have issued CCTV stills of a man they wish to speak to in connection with a series of courier frauds that involved threatening elderly victims with prison and scamming them out of thousands of pounds.

A woman in her 80s was deceived into handing over her bank cards along with her PIN number after receiving a phone call from a man claiming to be from the bank at about 10am on Monday, November 14.

He told her he needed to collect her cards so he could provide her with new cards the following day.

The next day, the elderly victim asked her bank when she would receive the new cards as the man had failed to return them.

A member of staff then became concerned and checked her account and the victim was told £1,000 had been taken out the day before in a Beckenham branch of Barclays Bank. CCTV clearly shows the suspect withdrawing money both inside and outside of the bank.

A second courier fraud was reported in Thornton Heath at about 3pm on Friday, January 6.

Again, an elderly woman – in her 70s – received a phone call from a man claiming to be from her bank, telling her there was an issue with her bank cards and that a courier would need to collect them, along with her PIN number.

A short while later, a man attended her home and collected the cards and PIN numbers.

CCTV footage shows the suspect withdrawing £5,600 from a cashpoint at Barclays in Thornton Heath at about 12.30pm that day (Friday, January 6).

Another elderly woman – aged in her 80s – was called by a man purporting to be from her bank at about 2pm on Monday, January 23, advising her that fraud had been carried out on her bank account, and that a courier would need to collect her cards.

The suspect kept the victim on the phone for more than two hours and warned her if she didn't comply with him she would be arrested and sent to prison.

The man collected her cards and withdrew £500 from her account at a cash point in Norbury.

The suspect is described as a black man, about five feet eight inches to six feet tall, with dreadlocks or braids tied up at the back. During one of the incidents he wore glasses and distinctive red tracksuit bottoms with the number 23 in white on the right thigh.

To prevent becoming a victim of courier fraud, the Metropolitan Police has issued the following advice:

  • Police and banks will never ask for your PIN or bank card
  • Never give your PIN or bank card to anyone
  • If you are contacted by someone who asks for these, hang up
  • Use a different line to report it to police on 101 or allow at least five minutes for the line to automatically clear
  • Call 999 if the crime is in action.

To offer information, call Detective Sergeant Natalie Reseigh from Croydon CID on 101.

To offer information anonymously, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.