Gran warns of bank fraudsters
A HOUSEWIFE is warning people to be on their guard after she almost fell victim to fraudsters.
Joyce Metcalfe was on her way out to pick up her grandaughter from school when her phone rang and it was a foreign-sounding man claiming to be from a company that was returning bank charges.
He claimed Joyce was owed a five-figure sum and asked for some of her personal details.
As Joyce was busy, she told the conman what type of bank card she had but then when he asked her to confirm its numbers she realised what he was up to.
She said: “They said to me that they had the first four digits on my bank card and then they asked me to tell them all the numbers.
“It was then I clicked and I said to them, ‘if you are who you say you are then you’ll already have my number’.
“He started saying that if I didn’t tell them the long number then I wouldn’t be paid the money that I was owed.
“But I knew I wasn’t owed any money because I’ve never been overdrawn and incurred any bank charges. I ended up arguing with them on the phone because I knew they weren’t legitimate.”
Joyce ended up putting the phone down on the fraudster then telephoned the Yorkshire Bank, with whom she banks.
The housewife, who is a mum of seven, grandmother of 11, and great-grandmother of one, said the bank staff have cancelled her card and sending her out a new one as a precaution.
Joyce, who lives on the Headland, in Hartlepool, said: “I think they’re so cruel preying on people telling them they’re going to get some money back when really they’re trying to do the opposite.
“I told them more details than I should but they caught me when I was really busy. I was really shocked afterwards, I was shaking.
“I’d just like to warn people not to give them any information at all and afterwards phone your bank straight away.”
A spokesman for Yorkshire Bank said: “We are aware a number of scams are operating.
“Banks and card providers may, from time to time, call you about possible fraud on your account but they will not ask for all your security details.”
“If you get a fraudulent call, you can alert you bank and they can check your account.”
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Weather for Hartlepool
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
