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The victims, some over a hundred years old, were attacked by scammers before the banks intervened with heavy losses.
Workers are trained to detect cases, interview clients, and handle recall requests from police at agencies that raise suspicions of scams.
UK Finance trade organization said £ 19 million was stored in the first part of the year and 100 arrests made.
The coronavirus lockdown has raised fears that other people new to web banking may have hidden victims.
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Officially known as the Banking Protocol, the program has prevented those affected from spending £ 116 million on fraud and has led to 744 arrests since its arrival 3 years ago via industry, industry criteria and enforcement agencies. law. policeman.
The other people targeted through scammers are sometimes over 65 years old. Some have been persuaded to withdraw a giant sum of cash and hand it over to scammers posing as smugglers.
In one case, Maureen of Southampton won two calls in June from criminals claiming to be in the “fraud squad. “
The 74-year-old woman was told to put £ 4,700 into an account so they could locate the stolen money. The transaction was stopped through the counter staff.
In a more recent case in August, a potential victim tried to send cash to “a friend” on an oil rig that he had no access to, and then repay the cash later.
At first, she was not convinced that the story was a lie, but the police were called and the transaction stopped.
Romantic fraud was also avoided, a specific fear of the loneliness of confinement.
Scammers use fake online dating profiles to trick those affected into moving money.
Katy Worobec, UK Finance Executive Director for Economic Crime, said: “It is disgusting that criminals take advantage of the elderly and the vulnerable during these difficult times.
“Frontline Bank branches are doing a heroic job of stopping these ruthless scams and helping bring the culprits to justice.
Cases have decreased slightly since the first part of 2019, due to the closure of many branches and the lockdown.
This has raised considerations that first time seniors’ web banking would possibly be vulnerable to scams.
The banking industry is now working with law enforcement to expand the program and online banking.
Officers can simply stop at the homes of vulnerable sufferers who have attempted to make a payment through online banking or by phone that has been flagged as a potential component of a scam.