3 elderly Isle of Wight residents, all in their 80s, have been targeted by courier fraudsters.
As a result, Hampshire Police are urging residents on the Isle of Wight to remain vigilant following a number of recent reports of courier fraud on the Island.
The crimes commonly involve an unexpected call from someone who purports to be a police officer or a staff member from their local bank, or an employee from an internet or phone provider.
They then tell the victim that their account has been subject to fraudulent activity, or is in danger of being closed and then request the victim assist them with the ongoing investigation, with this involving:
- Being asked for details about their financial accounts and bank cards,
- Being sent to their bank to withdraw money, or being asked to buy high-value goods, or
- Granting the caller access to their computer or phone, by downloading an application.
Between Thursday 4th August and Saturday 6th August, a man in his 80s, from Ventnor, was contacted by someone claiming to be from his bank. He was then persuaded to provide details about his account to enable someone to order £2,500 worth of Apple products, which were then delivered to his address.
The victim was told not to open the goods, as a ‘courier’ had been arranged to collect them. Fortunately, a family member recognised the fraud prior to the collection of the goods and the police were called.
Between Monday 1st August and Wednesday 3rd August, a similar incident involving a woman in her 80s, from Bembridge, saw the pensioner contacted by people claiming to be police officers from Hammersmith Police Station in London. They claimed a family member had been arrested and attempted to get the woman to pay ‘bail’ for the individual. The people on the phone tried to obtain sensitive and personal information from her.
On Wednesday 13th July, a woman in her 80s, from Ryde, received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the fraud department of her bank.
During the call, she was convinced that she needed to attend her bank and withdraw a large quantity of cash, or face the prospect of losing the money as her account had been ‘compromised’. Although she did attend the bank to withdraw the money, questions asked by the genuine bank staff led to the identification of the fraud and any loss was prevented.
Officers have launched investigations into the incidents and our enquiries are ongoing.
Temporary Detective Sergeant Mark Leonard, from the Economic Crime Unit, said:
“We know that offences of this nature can have a significant impact on victims, both emotionally and financially – as they come to terms with the financial losses after falling victim to a scam.
“For this reason, we are taking these steps to inform Island residents of courier fraud; so that they are aware of this type of contact and can avoid becoming a victim.
“We are wholly committed to bringing an end to offences of this nature and will take steps to identify and bring those individuals responsible to justice.”
It’s important to remember that:
- Police officers, banks and other organisations such as HMRC will never call people in this way and ask you to withdraw money or disclose personal or financial information. If someone does do this, please hang up – it will be a scam.
- If someone calls claiming to be a police officer, ask for their ID number and police force. Wait at least five minutes before calling back. A genuine police officer will not mind waiting while you check.
- Never hand money or your bank card/pin to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere.
- If you are a friend, relative or carer of someone you think might be vulnerable to this type of scam, please speak to them about this advice. You might be the only person who can stop them from being scammed.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, report it to us by calling 101. If a crime is in progress, dial 999.
You can make yourself aware of this type of scam and how to protect yourself by visiting the Action Fraud website (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/) or by calling them on 0300 123 2040.
Many of these types of fraud are being carried out by those who the gullible assumed would enrichen us, but, as it turned out, have made us very much poorer.
Why can’t the Police have awaited the ‘courier’ and at least arrested one of them?
I wondered why they didn’t await them to.
Guess their time is too valuable spent filling in twenty forms after arresting the same characters for drugs, or alcohol related driving or fighting for the courts to issue a £20 fine for, which they won’t pay either.
Policing is pathetic, and the public have lost faith, yet pay more for no protection and our jails are full of those from elsewhere thanks to past and current Government policies on filling our land with hoped for cheap labour which is turning out very costly indeed in many cases.
Mugged via your phone or P.C as well as on the streets it seems and very cruel to target oaps
Like Brexit you mean?
Scam of national proportions voted for by the terminally gullible based on promises that were so absurd that only the truly stupid (or those too blinded by their greed or hatred of “Johhnny Foreigner”) to see the blatant and obvious lies they were being told.
Well said.
Notice the cowardly Gammons downvoting the truth but incapable of defending the disaster they were conned into voting for.
ONLY BECOUSE IE WON’T POST MY COMMENTS !
What’s the difference between a Brexiter and a toddler?
Nothing. They both throw stroppy tantrums when they don’t get their own way or told they are wrong.
What’s the difference between a remainer and a traiter ?
Nothing.
Hmmm. I assume you mean “traitor”?
A traitor is someone who deliberately damages their country for their own benefit.
Considering that the likes of Farage, Johnson, Rees-Mogg, etc, gained massively from Brexit while knowing the damage it would do to this country, that makes them the traitors.
You are merely gullible.
More scams will be along soon…
Yawn, yawn ZZZzzzzxxzxzzxx
This is the problem with older generation, they think that they’re the bees knees and that kids are dumb nowadays because they cannot write in cursive but at the same they’re quite happy to hand their life pensions to a Nigerian prince.
Similar sort of thing to the Ventnor man happen to my father-in-law. Both my wife and I told him he was being scammed but he wouldn’t believe us. Kept telling us that he was old and wise enough to know when he was being had, and not to be so stupid.
Eventually persuaded him to go to the bank to “shut us up”. The look on his face when he was told that it actually was a scam was an absolute picture. Thankfully we stopped it before any money was lost.
Had one of these calls the other day. What did I do? Hung up on them.
My brother- in – law is 80 and has moderate mixed dementia. On the wall right above the phone I have compiled a list of incoming phone numbers that is ok to answer. This includes myself,his nephew and niece and daughter that lives in France and his doctor and pharmacy.If any number is not on the list DONT pick up. Let the answer machine kick in. Then don’t answer but show me . I go over to his residence 3 times a week to bring him over for lunch. Up to today no scammer success.