Christmas con is lowest of the low
ALL scams are rotten but ones that target vulnerable people at Christmas really are the pits.
So I’m grateful to a reader called Lillian, 84, who has alerted me to a particularly vile con which she fell victim to.
While it is too late to help her, she wants to send a warning to others so that they avoid being sucked in too.
Lillian received a letter and a promotional flyer in January from an outfit claiming to be a Christmas present saving fund.
The flyer explained that to join the scheme you simply had to pay a set amount each month and, come November 1, choose from a list of presents which would be posted to you.
Delivered
The scheme highlighted three supposed benefits. Participants would earn interest on the money they paid in, prezzies on the list would be discounted at 20-45 per cent, all gifts would be wrapped and conveniently delivered straight to your door.
Lillian liked the sound of this because she had just got through a Christmas where she had experienced difficulties with buying presents – largely because she does not use the internet.
She was also worried about spending so much money in such a short space of time, so a savings scheme sounded like it was a good fit for her. Lillian, from Cardiff, rang the number on the flyer and within 20 minutes had agreed to join the scheme.
She was asked how many people she would need presents for, what her budget was and how old the recipients were.
After providing this information she was advised to pay £69.99 per month into the scheme and send 12 post-dated cheques – which she did. Lillian was expecting contact from the “company” on November 1, as promised.
But she heard nothing. She told her daughter about the scheme and she immediately called the number Lillian had been given.
Surprise, surprise. It was no longer in service. It quickly emerged that 11 of the 12 cheques had been cashed – and poor Lillian had been scammed.
So take her cautionary tale as a timely warning.
And don’t give the scammers the same satisfaction next year.