Local man is caught by sophisticated new bank scam
by STACEY HEANEY
A LISBURN
man has warned local people to be aware of a new telephone scam which
saw fraudsters withdraw £75 from his account.
Gordon Gregg was talked into giving over his bank details after he received a call last Thursday afternoon from a so-called bank employee, who told him that he was to be reimbursed over £700 in banking charges accumulated over the years, with a charge of £75 for office costs.
Mr Gregg said that the caller, who "seemed so authentic", relayed his full name, address, postcode and telephone number and told him the first four digits of his bank card before asking him to complete the rest of the number.
Mr Gregg commented: "At first I was dubious and said 'no, but how did he get all my details? After I hesitated he said 'I can pass you to my supervisor to assure you this is genuine'.
The local man added: "I could hear all of the hubbub of voices in the background like an office and eventually I gave him the number."
Having been on the phone with the man who called I himself John Barker from 3.15pm to 3.35pm, Mr Gregg was immediately concerned when he finished the call and got straight on to his bank's headquarters.
"I was wary so as soon as I got off the phone I called the bank headquarters and had my card cancelled, but £75 had already been taken out of my account.
"The girl said it had been transferred from one account to another and she told me that the first four digits of all bank cards are the same, that is the same for all banks," he said.
Mr Gregg went straight to the Lisburn branch of his bank where he made sure his card was cancelled and arranged for a new card to be issued - for which he will have to pay.
It could have been a lot worse," he said. "The bank told me that these people are willing to spend a year getting information on each person.
"The scammers actually gave me an assist claim telephone number and I phoned that later and it was a genuine number.
"I just want to make people aware that if this happens to them not to give their card number to anyone. If this stops another person falling for this at least it will have done something," he concluded.
A Lisburn police spokesperson confirmed this is a new scam that police have recently become aware of and he warned people to never give their personal or bank details to anyone who telephones or emails them or who visits their home.
stacey.heaney@ulsterstar.co.uk
Ulster Star
07/08/2009
