Fraudster tricks Stratton pensioner out of thousands of pounds

A woman in her 70s received a call from a man claiming to be from Greater Manchester Police on Friday December 29 2017.

He told her that someone had accessed her bank account and committed fraud so she should go to her bank and withdraw as much money as possible.

The victim was then advised to call her bank to confirm this was legitimate, she did this and was told that it was.

However, Wiltshire Police suspect that the people committing the offence had not disconnected the call so the victim continue to speak to the fraudsters whilst believing she was speaking to her bank.

The woman withdrew £6,500 from her account and later that day a young man came to her address and collected the money, telling the victim that she would get the money back after the police investigation.

Wiltshire Police have released an e-fit of a young man they'd like to speak to in relation to the incident - he is suspected of being the person who went to the victim's home.

PC Jack Newman said: "We would like to speak to anyone who recognises this man.

"These criminals involved in this fraud were very convincing and the victim believed they were the police and bank staff.

"This is not unusual in cases like this and it can sometimes be weeks before the victims realise they have been scammed."

If you recognise the man in the e-fit, call police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

PC Newman added: "I'd like to remind the public to be cautious when receiving calls from anyone - including the police.

"We will never ask for bank details over the phone, nor will we ask for passwords or your PIN.

"Always be wary when asked to withdraw large sums of money.

"This is commonly known as courier fraud and is a ‘social engineering’ scam designed to trick you - using elaborate and highly convincing methods to panic a victim and exploit human nature.

"If the caller claims they are a police officer or police staff, put the phone down and ring the police on 101 and check the details first. If you can, use another phone in case the fraudsters have kept the line open."

The police have also released advice for those who receive phone calls requesting personal information.

They recommend that you should:

- Say “OK thanks, I’ll call you back” and ring your bank using the number on the back of your bank card or on your statement.

- Never use a number given by the caller

- Do not confirm or provide personal information over the phone to someone that has called you, eg. bank account/ card details, passwords, ID’s.

- Use a different phone to ensure a fraudster has not ‘held’ the line open, or phone a friend to hear a familiar voice and know line is clear.

Anyone who receives a call of this nature should record as much detail as possible and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via the online reporting tool www.actionfraud.police.uk.