A man involved in a phone scam which targeted elderly and vulnerable people has been jailed.
Thomas Simpson (20) was sent to prison for two years for his role in a gang which ran a "sophisticated" courier scam.
Leicester Crown Court heard fraudsters rang people claiming to be police officers and bank officials to trick victims to hand over bank cards and pin numbers.
An unsuspecting taxi driver would then be contacted to collect the cards and take them to the "police station" – which in reality was Simpson's home.
Adrian Harris, prosecuting, said it was Simpson's role to call the taxi and pick up the packages. He passed the packages on to other gang members but sometimes used the cards to withdraw cash.
Mr Harris said: "The gang targeted the elderly. Four out of the 10 people who lost money from their accounts or who were subject to the scam were aged over 70. One was 95."
The court heard the victims had £4,500 taken from their accounts, which was later reimbursed by their banks. In one case, the gang cleared the account of one woman with withdrawals of £30 and £190.
Mr Harris explained the scam involved a fraudster calling a target saying he was a police officer investigating a fraud on the victim's bank account.
The victim would then be urged to call their bank. They would be kept on the line and be referred to another member of the gang.
The victims would then give their bank details and be asked to key in their pin numbers using the touch tone key pad.
Mr Harris said Simpson on one occasion was seen on a CCTV wearing a deerstalker hat withdrawing money from a cash machine using a stolen card. He said an image on Simpson's mobile phone seized by the police read "Keep calm and commit fraud".
After being bailed by police, he continued to take part in the scam.
Simpson, of Totland Road, Leicester, admitted nine charges, including conspiracy to defraud, theft, and fraud by false representation.
He also pleaded guilty to his involvement in a separate money laundering scam where he was given a fee to get people to use their bank accounts to handle money taken from victims.
The court heard Simpson's parents had sent a heartfelt plea to keep their son out of prison.
Judge Simon Hammond said: "Courier fraud is widespread. Last year, there were 100 incidents in Leicestershire alone.
"You acted as a fixer in a sophisticated courier scam.
"A number of the victims were elderly and there is no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence."
He was given two years for the fraud charges and an extra six months in prison for the money laundering charge.
