Granny Scammed Out of £12,000 in Shocking Police Impersonation Ruse
At around 12.30pm on Tuesday 23 March 2021, police arrived at a home on Bentham Road, Standish after a fraud report shocked the neighbourhood. An 80-something woman fell victim to a chilling phone scam the day before, losing a whopping £12,000.
Convincing Cop Caller Tricks Elderly Woman
On 22 March, the pensioner got a call from a man claiming to be a police officer. He warned her that suspicious activity had been detected on her late husband’s bank account. The crook told her she must withdraw £5,000 for a fake investigation and promised it would be collected later.
Trusting him, the woman withdrew £5,000. Then she got another call, this time from someone pretending to be from her bank, insisting she hand over any remaining cash at home.
Fake Police Courier Steals The Loot
Later that day, a woman showed up at the victim’s door, supposedly a police courier, and collected the money. The pair made off with a total of £12,000.
The female suspect is described as:
- Middle Eastern
- Early 20s
- Slim build
- Black-brown slick hair
- Long false nails
- Wearing a high-visibility jacket
Police Plea: Help Catch These Ruthless Scammers
“Preying on vulnerable members of society is despicable and we’re doing all we can to ensure those responsible are identified,” said Police Constable Sharpe of GMP’s Wigan district.
“If you’ve been targeted or see anyone matching this description, please come forward.”
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 7124 quoting incident 810 of 23/02/21.
