Nairn woman conned out of £26,000 in banking scam
Police in the Highlands and Islands are issuing a warning to residents following a recent incident of fraud.
Police in the Highlands and Islands are issuing a warning to residents following a recent incident of fraud. A resident in the Nairn area, who wishes to remain anonymous, was contacted by a caller claiming to be from the Royal Bank of Scotland Fraud Department.
During the scam, the woman was told there has been suspicious activity on her account and was advised to transfer money to a different account. The total amount transferred is in excess of £26,000. The woman was instructed to call the number on her bank card which the fraudster had advised her to do to report the alleged crime. The woman followed these instructions but unfortunately, unbeknown to her, the fraudster had kept the line open so she was still speaking to them and not to her bank. An investigation is ongoing into the fraud, with similar reports having occurred throughout the country. Police Scotland is working closely with the banking industry to ensure customers are aware of the dangers such scams present. Chief Inspector Brian Mackay advises: “Extremely convincing in their scamming techniques, these despicable individuals have the potential to harm any member of the community who is unfortunate enough to be targeted. "Our advice is never engage with anyone cold calling you, especially when it relates to supposed account security. If you have concerns regarding financial or bank related issues pay a visit to your local branch, who will always be happy to assist you. “Crimes of this nature can happen anywhere so we urge householders to remain vigilant, phoning 101 immediately if you receive a suspicious phone call. Scams can have a devastating effect on victims and Police Scotland will continue to robustly target those who carry out these despicable crimes.”