Fraud warning in Exeter and Mid-Devon

Elderly man phoned, visited and asked for cards and pin numbers.

Police are warning people to remain vigilant after fraudsters targeted elderly victims in Exeter and Mid Devon with telephone scams.

2 incidents were reported to police last Tuesday (19th November). 

A Mid Devon resident, living close to the Somerset border, received a phone call from a person purporting to be from his banks who stated he needed new cards.

They asked for card and PIN numbers – and even rang back later to say he had given them the wrong information.

The elderly man later received two personal visits from a pair of males claiming to be from the bank, who told him they needed to take his cards away and that they would return with new ones.

During one visit, the suspects handed over a gift voucher.

Cards were taken from the victim and later that day £300 was withdrawn from a cash machine in Wellington. 

A separate incident on the same day saw a female pensioner in Exeter contacted over the phone and asked to put £10,000 into the bank account of an unknown suspect.

She was told the fraud squad would visit her home at a later date.

Devon and Cornwall Police is advising residents that officer, or your bank, will never:

• Phone and ask you for your PIN or full banking password;
• Ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping;
• Ask you to transfer money out of your account;
• Send someone to your home to collect cash, PINs, cards or cheque books

Report fraud and register for free fraud alerts here: www.actionfraud.police.uk