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However, it was too late, as the money had already been withdrawn from Kath’s account.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.
If you have been scammed and need help to recover your money fill out our Fraud Reclaim Form or call us for advice on 0333 9998791.