Police Hunt Fraudster Who Scammed Elderly Couple Out of £4,500
Impersonator Cost Pensioners Thousands
Police have released an image of a man they want to question over a brazen fraud targeting an elderly couple in Hillingdon. On Friday 17 January, the pair, both in their seventies, were duped by a scammer pretending to be a police officer.
The conman claimed their bank cards were involved in suspicious activity and asked for their help with an “investigation”. Trusting him, the couple withdrew £4,500 from a Ruislip bank branch to assist.
Multiple Pickups and Gift Card Scam
After handing over the cash to a man who called at their home, the couple were contacted again the next day. This time, they were told to withdraw more cash from a Travel Exchange in Uxbridge.
Following the instructions, another man arrived to collect the money. To add insult to injury, the unsuspecting pair were then told to buy a gift card from a department store, which was also collected by a male visitor.
Victims Only Realised Scam After Family Intervention
It was only after talking to a relative that the couple realised they’d been conned and reported it to police on Saturday 18 January. Detectives from Central Specialist Crime have now launched an investigation and are appealing for witnesses.
PC Carl Blissett said: “This couple truly believed they were helping with an investigation and were trying to do the right thing. Once they realised what had happened, they were understandably devastated.
I am keen to speak to the man in the photograph we have released in connection with this incident.”
Police Appeal for Information
No arrests have been made yet. Officers urge anyone who recognises the man shown in the image or has information about the scam to come forward.
Call police on 101 quoting reference 5776/18JAN.
