Police call for vigilance after spate of bank card scams

At least 10 people have been targeted by phone scammers in the area over the past two weeks.

So far calls have been received in Welllesbourne, Stratford, Welford, Snitterfield, Lower Quinton and Hampton.

In most cases those receiving the calls grew suspicious and refused to hand over any money, though in a few cases the scammers got away with considerable sums.

Police are urging people to be on their guard, reminding residents that the police and banks would never ask people for pin numbers, to hand their card to a courier or to leave cash in a public place.

People should never transfer money to an account of someone they don't know, be pressured into withdrawing money, or leaving it unattended.

One scam victim, an 84-year-old from Wellesbourne, transferred £14,000 into the scammer’s bank account, following an elaborate deception.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, handed over the money after the caller claimed to be a senior police inspector.

The caller said a man had been detained using the woman’s bank card at an I-Store in London and convinced her to transfer funds into a specified bank account as part of a police operation.

He said that the police believed the man with the stolen card had obtained it from a bank in Stratford and the woman’s money transfer was needed so that police could pinpoint staff at the bank who they believed were involved.

A similar story was reported by a woman in Lower Quintion last week, though she did not transfer any money, while another woman, an 80-year-old from Welford handed over £5,000 to a ‘courier’.

Police officers have visited banks in south Warwickshire over recent days advising staff to be suspicious of elderly people trying to withdraw large sums of money.

Inspector Daf Goddard said: "This is a heartless crime and the offenders target elderly and vulnerable people who trust them because they think they are dealing with police officers and bank staff.

"Please share this message with family, friends and neighbours - especially those who you feel might be vulnerable to this kind of fraud - and report any suspicious activity to us."