Nottinghamshire Police warn residents to be vigilant for scammers
The force say an elderly woman recently lost ÂŁ35,000.
Those living in Nottinghamshire are being warned to remain vigilant for fraudsters in the run up to Christmas.
Nottinghamshire Police say courier scams are evolving with fraudsters now tricking victims into handing over their banks cards on the doorstep.
In recent weeks, a growing number of Nottinghamshire residents have received a phone call from someone claiming to be from their bank or the police, who told them their money wasn’t safe.
However, it was a fraudster who first built their trust before telling them a police officer would come and collect their bank cards so checks could be made as part of an investigation.
Three victims have handed over their cards in recent weeks, which have then been used to make a string of fraudulent transactions.
One victim, a Broxtowe resident in her 70s, lost more than ÂŁ35,000 after handing over her bank cards. A Kirkby-in-Ashfield victim, a woman in her 40s, had her cards used across Nottingham and Birmingham, while a third person noticed two iPhones had been purchased with a bank card she was tricked into handing over on her doorstep at her home near Bingham.
Police are reminding residents to never agree to keep an online relationship a secret, never send money abroad, and remember banks and police will never ask for information over the phone.