Bank con artists back in Lothians

FRAUDSTERS who trick elderly victims into giving their bank details over the phone before arranging for a fake courier to pick up their cash card are operating again in the Lothians.

A 65-year-old woman in Boswall Terrace received a call from someone impersonating a bank employee who obtained her details and said a replacement card would be delivered to swap with the old one.

But the conman’s courier was unable to collect the card as the targeted victim had already handed it in to her local bank earlier that day.

In December, it was revealed that around ten Lothian pensioners had been conned out of almost £100,000 after being targeted by the scam.

A police spokesman said: “This scam is known to be operating within the Lothians and the public should not be taken in by the caller’s ruse no matter how convincing they sound. Genuine bank employees do not contact customers requesting their details, nor do they arrange an uplift for bank cards.”