Woman to appear in court charged with fraud and theft

Between October 2023 and May 2024, the woman targeted elderly members of the public by befriending them before financially exploiting them for her own gain.A four-figure sum was stolen from her victims.The 30-year-old was arrested and charged in connection with the theft and fraud.Detective Constable Amanda Sharp said: "We would like to thank the public for their help with our investigations."Scammers go to great lengths to manipulate and exploit the most vulnerable within our communities by means of gaining a person’s affection and using that goodwill to encourage the victim to send money to the scammer under false pretences, with a view to them benefiting financially."It's very easy to fall victim to frauds like these, with people understandably reluctant to come forward and report it. However, I would strongly urge that if you are a victim that you report the matter to police."My message to the scammers is clear, if you engage in this type of crime we will identify, trace and arrest you."I would urge anyone who thinks that they may have been the victim of a scam to contact their bank or financial provider and to report the matter to Police Scotland on 101.”