Dorset Police received a report on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, that a man in his 80s in Poole received a phone call from someone claiming to be from his bank. They advised him to transfer his funds to another account and persuaded him to send £2,500 to an address in the London area.
Officers were able to intercept the delivery and return the funds to the victim after the fraud was reported. The incident is still being investigated.
The victim in the case has bravely shared his experience in an effort to raise awareness and encourage others who are being targeted to report incidents to police.
“I answered the phone, and because they were so specific about my account, I assumed it had to be the bank,” he explained.
“For some reason, I just went ahead and did it.” After a while – around 1 a.m. the next morning – I realised something was wrong. I called the cops, who said they would look into it right away.”
The victim stated that if they have any doubts about a call, they should challenge the caller and take steps to validate their identity. He also stated that he was glad he reported the incident to police so soon after it occurred and that, thanks to the officers’ prompt response, he was able to get his money back.
“What I would say is that if you get a similar call, ask them for a number to call back on and then go into your bank and see if they have any information on it,” he said.
“I’m glad I got in touch with the police. I would advise anyone else who has a similar situation and makes the mistake of answering the phone and doing what they say to contact the police immediately.”
“I felt so stupid, but it was so convincing at the time, it’s hard to believe they came across so positive and had everything spot on,” the man continued.
“I’m just curious how they got my information.”
On Wednesday, June 8, 2022, another elderly man in Poole was targeted by scammers who called him and pretended to be from his bank. They convinced him to send £4,350 to a London address, which Dorset Police were able to recover and return to the victim.
We will carry out a full investigation into reports of this nature or refer them to Action Fraud where appropriate,” said Detective Sergeant Jane Millard of Dorset Police’s Fraud Triage Team.
I’d like to take this opportunity to urge members of the public to be cautious and to make sure their elderly relatives are aware of this scam.” Your bank should never request that you withdraw large sums of money and mail them to a specific address.
“If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of someone who contacts you claiming to be from your bank or another organisation, take their information and call back through a listed number and ask to speak to that individual, or go into your local branch.”
