Fife telephone scams: 87-year-old man conned out of £30,000 as police urge public to 'be extremely cautious' with personal details

An 87-year-old pensioner in Fife was conned out of £30,00. Picture: John Stillwell/PA Wire

In recent days, an 87-year-old man in Fife was contacted by someone claiming to be from his bank which ultimately saw him defrauded out of £30,000.

Police Scotland said investigations into this scam are ongoing as the urge those in the area to be ‘extremely cautious’ when giving out personal and financial details.

It comes as the police reveal they have seen an increase in those from the elderly community being conned through telephoning scamming.

Inspector Kirk Donnelly said: “We are currently investigating this scam which saw the victim transferring a substantial amount of money after being convinced by the scammer to move the funds urgently to avoid a loss.

“We have seen an increase in reports of vulnerable and elderly members of our communities being targeted by this sort of telephone scam.

"Individuals from either within or outside the UK claim to be from reputable companies such as banks or building societies, Amazon, Microsoft, Inland Revenue and many more.

“Scammers will likely report a fault with a computer or the internet, an accidental renewal of a subscription or problem with a bank accounts which they allege put your money at risk.

“These callers can often be aggressive and intimidating, placing pressure on people to do ask they ask.

“A number of methods are used to obtain personal details such as using a third party app or website to remotely access your computer or bank account. This can often be followed with a demand for a payment to avoid alleged legal action."

Inspector Donnelly advised: “Be suspicious of all such calls and always make every effort to ensure that the person at end of the line is who they claim to be, represent who they claim to represent and are legitimate and reputable.

“If you are unsure, take details of their company so you can check their credentials.

"You can even take a number with a view to checking out their details and calling the company they say they are from at a later time using a number you have obtained independently.”

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