CASH SCAMS/FRAUD

Hello all

We all know that there are many many types of scams and frauds where criminals target all ages but in particular elderly and vulnerable victims.

One of these vile types of fraud is committed by a fraudster/criminal ringing a victim out of the blue stating their name and quite often saying that they're from an ‘anti-fraud’ department attached to the police, bank or similar (all details are false of course) stating that there is fraudulent activity on the victim's account and the way to safeguard their money is withdraw it and await further instruction.

They will even give the victim reasons to give the bank staff for withdrawing the money as they know that banks nowadays will quite often ask questions of their customer as to why they are withdrawing large amounts, the banks will have certain criteria to meet before they ask such questions.

They will then ring again giving instructions about how to send it by post or courier to them and then tell the victim that once the fraudulent activity on the account has been investigated they will send the money back or transfer it into the victim's account, but of course we know that this doesn't happen.

You may be sat reading this thinking there is no way I'd send cash in the post wrapped in foil and put into a couple of envelopes to someone purporting to be an official from the bank or police but it does still happen and those poor victims of this horrible crime who are quite often elderly and vulnerable feel silly and embarrassed let alone upset but they shouldn't have to feel that way as they haven't done anything wrong apart from being the unsuspecting victim of a crime that is committed by criminals with no moral compass as they have scared the victim into thinking that leaving the money in their bank is the worst thing to do.

Therefore this is a message to all of you because even if you are confident that you won't become a victim of this, please look out for elderly relatives who may be acting secretive or not themselves because one of the other things the criminals tell the victims is not to tell anyone else even their own partners/husbands/wives.

Thank you

Steve.