Three targeted in new wave of bank card scam

POLICE are investigating three reports of courier fraud in south Warwickshire today, Tuesday.

Just after 12noon a 73-year-old woman in Lower Quinton reported that she had received a call from a man claiming to be a police officer from London, saying that someone had tried to use her bank card at an Apple store.

He advised her to call 999 which she did and spoke to a woman claiming to be a Warwickshire Police officer who then passed her to the original caller.

The man asked her how much she had in her bank account, told her she needed to change banks and asked if she was going to be at home all day.

The woman did not disclose any bank details and reported the matter immediately.

Ten minutes later a woman in Stratford-upon-Avon received a call from whom appeared to be the same man claiming to be a police officer from London. The woman became suspicious immediately and called Warwickshire Police.

The third incident involved an 86-year-old woman in Wellesbourne who had a call from the same man claiming that her account had been compromised but she realised what was happening and put the phone down.

A spokeswoman for Warwickshire Police said: "Remember that police and banks would never ask for your PIN, send a courier to collect your card or ask you to leave cash in a public place.

"Never transfer money to an account of someone you don't know and don't be pressured into withdrawing money, or leaving it unattended.

"Please share this message with any elderly friends and relatives."

In 2015, police made several arrests after a sudden spike in reported incidents of the so-called courier fraud in the Stratford area theoughout November and December of 2014, and January 2015.

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