Advice issued after police stop Malton woman handing over £35,000 to scammers

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Poloice said: “A recent incident in Malton nearly saw an 80-year-old victim spend £35,000 on what they believed was a high end watch.

“Fortunately, our officers managed to persuade the victim that this was, in fact, a scam before any money was taken.”

The scams see fraudsters phoning their victims on their home landlines.

Posing as the police, they instruct the victim to dial 999 in order to verify who they are and that it is legitimate.

In reality, the fraudsters never hang up, and instead, the line remains open.

As a result, when the victim dials 999, they are unknowingly still speaking to the fraudster or an accomplice.

They then proceed to tell the victim that their bank is defrauding them and, as part of the scam, a jewellery shop is selling fake watches and they need the victim’s help to catch them out.

This grooming can continue to happen repeatedly over several days.

The victim is then instructed to go out and buy an expensive watch, with fraudsters sometimes giving them specific makes and models.

They then tell them the watch is fake and not to divulge any information to the shop's staff, as they are part of the fraud gang - with the same lies told about the bank.

The fraudsters reassure the victim that they will be reimbursed for any purchases made.

If questioned in the shop, they’re usually told to say it’s a gift for a family member or some other plausible story.

After buying the watch they hand it over with the receipt to a ‘courier’.

They also tell them not to tell family and friends anything as this is an official police operation and discretion is required.

This can happen multiple times with many watches bought on different days and handed to the fraudsters.

Due to the extensive grooming the victim has experienced up to this point, they will now likely believe the fraudsters completely, and as a result, are less likely to tell anyone what is happening.

The victims of these particular scams are typically elderly people who are in their 70s or 80s, with no previous history of buying an expensive watch.

They rarely have any detailed knowledge about the high end watch market and any questions they do have will be met with vague answers by the fraudsters.

However, by telling them this is a scam and describing the circumstances above, which may match their own experiences, it could make them understand the reality of the situation.

How to protect yourself and your loved ones

If you are in any doubt about the legitimacy of a phone call contact the police as soon as possible.

• Take a moment to pause and consider: Criminals will rush and pressure you to respond. It's okay to reject or ignore their demands.

• Never hand over your card: Your bank or the police will never come to your home to collect money or your card. Never give these to anyone who shows up to collect them.

• Always verify securely: If contacted unexpectedly, call your bank back using a number you trust. Wait five minutes or use a different phone line to ensure the line is clear of criminals who might still be connected.

• Always remember: Your bank or the police will never call you to verify your personal details or PIN by phone or offer to pick your card up via a courier. If you receive a call like this then hang up.

Spot the Signs

• Someone claiming to be from your bank or local police force calls you to tell you about fraudulent activity but is asking you for personal information or even your PIN to verify who you are.

• They’re offering you to call back so you can be sure they’re genuine, but when you try to return the call there’s no dial tone.

• They try to offer you peace of mind by having somebody pick up the card for you to save you the trouble of having to go to your bank or local police station.

How it happens

You may get called on your mobile or landline by someone who claims to be from your bank or the police. They say their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment on your card or it is due to expire and needs to be replaced.

They might suggest that you hang up and redial the number of their bank or police force to reassure you that they’re genuine.

However, they don’t disconnect the call from the landline so that when you dial the real phone number, you’re still speaking to the same fraudster.

They’ll then ask you to read out your credit or debit card PIN or type it on your phone keypad. They may ask for details of other accounts you hold with the bank or elsewhere to grab more information.

Then they promise to send a courier to you to collect your bank card. The fraudster will have your name, address, full bank details, card and its PIN, and withdraw cash using the card and may even use the information to commit identity fraud in your name.

If you've given your bank details over the phone or handed your card to a courier, call your bank immediately to cancel your card.