Warning after elderly Aberdeenshire resident caught in phone scam

Officers in Aberdeenshire are asking the public to be vigilant following a telephone banking fraud which targeted an elderly Laurencekirk resident. The 83-year-old victim was conned out of £300 as a result of the scam.

She was contacted by a man claiming to be from her bank.

The man advised that her bank account was being investigated due to fraudulent activity and advised that she had been scammed and that £1000 had been sent overseas from her bank account and £300 to Amazon.

The victim thought this was a scam so put down the phone.

The victim received another call from a different male stating they were also from the bank.

They stated that in order to get her money back she had to send £300 cash and her bank card to an address in England.

The victim was told to wrap the money and card in foil and newspaper before placing in an envelope and posting, which she did.

Constable Howie from the Stonehaven Community Policing Team said: “The people who carry out these crimes are despicable.

"They target vulnerable members of our community and steal their savings.

“Criminals pretend to be from a legitimate bank, then contact the victims by telephone to warn of suspicious activity on their accounts.

“We would like to make the public aware of these calls to ensure that their elderly or vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours are also aware of these types of scams.

“Reputable banks and financial institutions will not ask you for your banking details or password by phone. If in doubt, do not share any personal information or financial details."

Further advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud can be found in the 'Little Book of Big Scams.'