Scammer Pretends To Be Widow’s Son

text scammers trick widow

 

A single text has resulted in a widow losing more than £1,000 when she fell victim to
criminals impersonating her son to steal her savings.

The elderly woman, known as Kath, received a text from an unknown number claiming to be
her son who needed quick cash after dropping his phone in the toilet, begging her for help.

After handing over £1,400 in cash, Kath received a call from her real son, Charlie, to check
on her.

It was only then that she realized she had been scammed, discovering that the texts she
had received were not from her son but from an unknown fraudster.

However, it was too late, as the money had already been withdrawn from Kath’s account.
The woman, from Wolverhampton, said: “They used the kind of language Charlie would
have used but I know now they were basically grooming me.”

Kath, who uses a wheelchair and rarely goes out, told BirminghamLive: “The internet is my
lifeline, I don’t know what I’d do without my Ipad, I was so proud when my son showed me
how to use it.
“I feel embarrassed and ashamed for not being more careful, I couldn’t eat for days after the
scam happened as I felt that sick.”
She reported the crime to her bank, who first refused to compensate her- blaming her for
not protecting her account.
However, the case was later reviewed by NatWest and Kath’s money was eventually
returned.
A spokesman for NatWest said: “We’re sorry for the distressing experience that Kath has
had in being targeted by these criminals.
“Having reviewed the case, we have reimbursed her for the money they stole.”

They advised customers to never respond to money requests from unknown numbers
asking them to send funds to an account they aren’t familiar with.

It’s estimated that around 35 percent of people contacted by fraudulent texters lose money
by clicking on a dodgy link, making calls to a premium line, or handing over bank details,
according to The Mirror.

Have you lost money to a scam? Contact National Fraud Helpline. Call 0333 0033218 or fill out our Claim Form.