Police caution after attempted bank card scams in two villages
THAMES Valley Police have issued a neighbourhood alert after villagers were targeted by scammers.
At 1.19pm last Monday, a resident of Stanbrook Close, Bradfield Southend, received a call from a man claiming to be from NatWest.
The caller asked the resident to go to a Reading branch of the bank, where they were to turn over all their credit or debit cards.
A person was to be dispatched to collect the items on behalf of the caller.
Arriving at the bank, the resident was approached by a man who requested the PIN numbers, but the complainant refused to hand the cards over.
The man made the approach outside the branch and is now a suspect in the police investigation into the matter.
He is described as black, in his 20s, with covered hair. He was wearing a hi-viz jacket and a face mask.
Last Tuesday, a resident of Sycamore Road, Pangbourne, received a call saying that her bank cards had expired and a man named Simon would be sent with replacements.
This person eventually appeared and handed over an envelope containing Lycamobile cards.
The suspect on this occasion is also described as black.
He was wearing a black bicycle helmet, black top and black trousers.
The witness stated that he was 5ft 4in tall, slim and in his late teens or early-20s.
A small white car with a black roof was sighted in the area around the same time.
It is not known if the incidents are related.
People are urged to exercise caution and never comply with requests to turn over their bank cards or personal details.