My friend tells how he became a fraud victim S

CAMMERS are getting ever more devious in the way they snare internet victims.

My friend Ken, a retired professional chap with more than his share of common sense, fell foul of a clever approach when he was asked to help snare online fraudsters.

And why not? Everyone wants to help the police to bring to justice the faceless thieves whose intent is to rob innocent victims blind.

Unfortunately, the approach he received was not from the police.

“I got a phone call from a woman who informed me that my computer had been hacked.”

He was not immediately suspicious because he’d had problems with his computer after returning from America. The woman said crimes had been committed using his machine and she would put him through to the police.

“A male voice then spoke, advising me that he was with the National Crime Agency. He said they were setting up a sting to catch the people involved and asked me to help using my bank account. He said the Government would provide me with cash to distribute, via Western Union and moneygrams and also to purchase gift cards from Tesco to trap the scammers.”

It all sounded above board and Ken supplied his email address and bank account number and sort code so they could forward money from the Treasury.

“They then provided me with a supposedly more secure way of signing in to my internet bank. This is how I believe they extracted my details.”

He had become suspicious by the request to buy Tesco gift cards and two days later realised what was happening via the bank security system. “I discovered they had gone into my savings account.

“I discovered the so-called Government money to finance the sting, was being transferred from my savings account. I got in touch with the real National Crime Agency who informed me they had nobody involved in such a scheme and that I should close my accounts immediately and get in touch with local police.”

Ken adds: “Both the bank and the police were very helpful. In fact, it was through the bank that all the money taken was replaced.”

Even so, it was a salutary experience and one he shares to warn others.

It’s often said the elderly are vulnerable but sophisticated scams like this can trap anybody.