Elderly Sheffield woman, 84, loses £10,000 after handing bank card over to bogus police officer

On Thursday, January 23, it was reported that bogus police officers had turned up at the home of an elderly woman and asked for her bank card earlier this month.

The 84-year-old handed it over with her PIN number and £9,950 was spent at a high-end store in London on January 17.

Yesterday, it was reported that a 77-year-old woman received call on January 18 from a man called ‘Thomas Wilson,’ who claimed to be from the ‘RBS fraud squad’.

He told the woman he needed her bank card and PIN and later the same day, an Asian man in his mid-20s attended her home and collected her card, which was used at Meadowhall on a number of occasions over the next two day on transactions totalling more than £2,000.

DS Sam Erabadda , South Yorkshire Police’s fraud team, said: “These incidents have left two elderly, vulnerable members of the community extremely shaken and distressed.

“Courier fraudsters are extremely cruel – they pose as officials and then betray their victims’ trust in a callous scheme to steal their money.

“I’d urge anyone who has elderly or vulnerable relatives or loved ones to check up on them and make sure they know not to fall for it if they are contacted themselves.

“If you think you are on the phone to a fraudster, hang up straightaway and then call back your bank, or the police, on a different phone line or mobile.”