7:00am Friday 10th July 2009
By Gina Marden
FRAUDSTERS are trying to get pensioners to part with their bank details as part of a scam.
The tricksters have been targeting people who use Basildon council’s careline – a service where elderly people are given alarms which they can press to trigger a call for the emergency services.
Pensioners who rely on the service across Basildon have been receiving phonecalls from the con artists asking for information relating to credit and debit cards, as well as bank accounts.
The callers claim to be from the “fraud squad” and tell pensioners they can visit them, giving them a lift to the police station, to discuss “irregularities” concerning their accounts.
The fraudsters, assuming most pensioners will not want to leave their homes, then tell people they could take details, such as card and PIN numbers, over the telephone.
Now Basildon Careline has issued a warning to pensioners not to fall prey to the cruel con and to call police if they are targeted. Ray McKay, spokesman for Basildon Council, which operates Careline, said: “Basildon Careline is advising all its residents not to answer any questions or give any bank details over the telephone and to contact them or the police if they receive such a call.
“If necessary, residents on the Careline system can use it to report any suspicious calls.
“The council would also like families and neighbours of older or vulnerable residents to contact and reassure them and remind them to beware of telephone calls from people they don’t know.”
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