I rumbled fraudster before he could walk off with the goods
SALLY Marlow was left baffled when she had her debit card declined at a supermarket. When she got home she discovered why the transaction had been stopped.
Waiting for her at home in Central London were three packages – from designer retailer End Clothing, Saks Fifth Avenue and Matches Fashion. The first contained a £370 hoodie and the other two identical backpacks priced at £450 each. All had been paid for on her card.
Sally, 51, says: ‘I never buy designer clothes so it was particularly odd. I phoned my bank First Direct to let them know a fraudster was obviously at work – and it organised to refund the payments.’
She says: ‘I emailed Matches and End Clothing to arrange for the items to be picked up.’
A day or so later, Sally took a call from someone claiming to be from Matches’ returns department, wanting to organise a courier. Sally says: ‘I gave him my address and I thought it was sorted.’
A short while later another call came through from Saks Fifth Avenue, asking to arrange the return of the backpack. She says: ‘The voice sounded similar and I was suspicious because I had not had time to contact the retailer. A light bulb went on in my head and I told the caller I knew what he was up to and he hung up.’
Sally’s card details and phone number had been stolen by the fraudster. He had then ordered the goods (giving a fake email address) in the hope of collecting them posing as a courier picking up the returns.
Had Sally not scuppered his plan he would have walked off with goods worth at least £1,270.
The shopping binge had also included £850 worth of shoes and clothing from JD Sports, which were never delivered.