Alleged phone scammer accused of defrauding elderly victim arrested in Auckland

An alleged fraudster accused of stealing more than $15,000 from an elderly person has been arrested by police.

The person in the Far North had allegedly fallen victim to a phone scam in March last year, with the caller pretending to be from a bank’s fraud team.

Police were contacted after the bank’s real fraud team alerted the victim, with $15,600 already drained from the account.

Auckland patrol officers had spotted a vehicle of interest on St Lukes Rd in Mt Albert just before 1am, nearly a year after the initial report by the victim.

Detective Senior Sergeant Ash Matthews said the vehicle’s registered owner was sought in connection with a fraud case, so officers carried out a traffic stop.

“Beat staff confirmed the driver’s identity was the same as the man sought by police,” Matthews said.

A 23-year-old man arrested on the roadside early today has been handed over to Auckland City detectives.

The man was charged with money laundering and receiving property over $1000 and will appear in the Auckland District Court next Wednesday, March 4.

“It’s a great catch by our beat team patrolling on night shift,” Matthews said, “and we acknowledge all the groundwork carried out by our colleagues in the Mid/Far North CIB.”