A CLEVER crook who 'pretended to be a cop' has been arrested after a string of frauds in Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire.

Officers say that between Wednesday, November 22, 2023, and Thursday, January 11, 2024, they received several reports from victims who were contacted by phone by a person claiming to be a police officer from Glasgow.

During the calls, some victims were convinced to hand over money, believing that they were assisting an investigation.

Now, detectives have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the series of incidents on Wednesday, January 24.

He is due to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court today (January 25).

Detective Sergeant John Fagan, from the Economic Crime and Financial Investigation Unit in Glasgow, said: "I am aware of the impact these types of crimes have on members of the public and I hope this arrest highlights our commitment to tackling fraud.

"These criminals can come across very convincing, often making them very difficult to spot.

"I urge people to remain vigilant to these types of fraud and always be wary about providing personal details over the phone.

"Officers will never ask you to transfer money to another account, withdraw money from your account or disclose personal financial information, and nor will your bank.

"Should you have any concerns about any potentially fraudulent activity, please report this to us.

"I would also encourage people to reach out to family members, friends, neighbours and let them know about these opportunistic scams within the community."