A BARNSLEY pensioner who lost her life savings of £150,000 through a series of cold calls is not an isolated incident and has prompted a fresh warning from South Yorkshire Police.
It was reported in the Chronicle last month that an unnamed woman, who is in her 70s and lives in the Barnsley East constituency, was initially contacted via an unsolicited phone call and was encouraged to invest in a trading company.
The caller convinced her to do so, leading her to pledge an initial sum of £200 and having seen a quick return on the investment, she was encouraged to invest more before losses spiralled - despite being told that she would recoup her money by continuing to spend.
Fraud officer Andy Foster, who deals with financial-related matters for the police, said: “Fraudsters bleed people dry and it’s a huge problem in Barnsley, one we know is growing as more and more pensioners are targeted.
“The impact this has on the individual and their family cannot be underestimated. Victims are left embarrassed, ashamed and in many cases simply don’t want to tell people that they’ve fallen for a scam.
“There has to be a more joined-up way of thinking in order to stop this from happening. Banks should investigate when they see huge sums of money being withdrawn from a pensioner’s account.
“Fraud kills, and once you’re a victim and they know they can take advantage, more often than not the information is sold to other criminals and the cycle begins all over again.”
The latest victim lost her car and had to re-mortgage her house, according to MP Stephanie Peacock, who has vowed to target scammers preying on victims in her Barnsley East constituency.
She added: “It’s a disgrace that, whether online or in person, often elderly people are taken advantage of by reprehensible criminals with no regard to the lives or welfare of the victims. I support the police wholeheartedly in their efforts to tackle this inexcusable practice.
“I encourage everybody to take every precaution against fraudsters for themselves and any potentially vulnerable family or friends, and contact my office if any help is required.”
The latest case follows several high-profile investigations by Barnsley-based police officers last year, including the rise of so-called ‘courier fraud’ which involves cold callers claiming to be from the victim’s bank or from salespeople peddling miracle health cures.
According to the police, fraudsters may seek to reassure their victim by suggesting they hang up, and then call ‘161’ or the bank’s number from the back of their card to confirm the authenticity of the call.
However, the criminals do not hang up the line at their end and keep the call connected, therefore while the victim has dialled the number and thinks they are calling the bank, they are still speaking to the same person or an accomplice.
Operation Signature has been rolled out by police across the town as a result of growing concerns - focusing on protecting those deemed to be at high risk of fraud - which has seen each of Barnsley’s six neighbourhood policing teams tasked with advising vulnerable people about the potential pitfalls of courier fraud.
“I would advise anyone receiving unsolicited calls via their home phone to contact their telephone provider and ask them if they provide a free call-blocking service,” Mr Foster added.
“Alternatively, call-blocking devices and replacement telephones with software pre-installed are available to buy.”
