Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BANK STAFF SAVE OAP IN £20K SCAM
Police plea to protect the elderly
QUICK-THINKING Ulster Bank staff managed to stop a scam which could have cost an OAP £20,000.
Police are urging the public to keep an eye on their elderly neighbours and relatives and warn them of potential scams.
A statement on PSNI Magherafelt said: “We dealt with an incident today where an older lady was almost scammed out of £20,000.
“Only the alertness of Ulster Bank staff stopped it right at the last minute.
“Even at that stage the lady struggled to accept she was being defrauded.
“Many struggle to get their head around how it ever gets to the stage where you wilfully give away tens of thousands of pounds without question. But take a moment to think of older family, friends or neighbours. Those who are maybe more trusting and less cynical than you.
“People who don’t use the internet, who have never heard of a phishing scam, who don’t see all the scam warnings.
“People who were brought up in a more trusting time, who struggle to see the bad in anybody, who aren’t on their guard at all times, you know plenty of these people.
“The majority of the scams are coming from the far side of the globe and are extremely difficult to shut down.
“The most effective way of stopping them is through education. Go spread the word.”