Heartless thieves have stolen £15,000 froma an elderly man in Moreton.

The man gave the money to someone he thought was a member of the TSB Fraud Team after calling the number on the back of his bank card but actually talking to the scammers.

The tactic has also recently been used to scam Stow residents out of £30,000.

On each occasion the individuals have picked up the phone to a 'well educated male's voice' who says they are from a bank/ the police/ action fraud and there is money being emptied from their accounts as they speak.

The elderly victims are told to go to their local bank and transfer all their savings into a new account so that the 'investigators' can make sure their money is safe and track who is stealing the money.

In one case the 'investigator' told a female to call the number on the back of her card straight away to be put through to the bank.

When she put the phone down the scammer stayed on the phone so that the new number she dialled went straight back through to the them and not the new number.

Additionally scammers asked that the phone be left on in the pockets of the vulnerable victims 'so that they can listen in to what is happening in the bank'.

Thieves then told victims to tell bank employees that the money is for home improvements or for a holiday so that they do not seem suspicious.

After the money has been transferred the scammer ends the call, and moves on to their next target.

The scam only works when the person being targeted calls the number back from the same phone. If you receive a call that tell you to do this then end the call and call your bank on a different phone. This way you can be sure that you are actually talking to your bank.

Officers have issued the following advice to anyone who receives a call from someone saying that they are from their bank or saying that they are a police officer who wants to talk to them about money :

  • Put down the phone immediately
  • Tell a friend, neighbour or family member what has happened
  • Call the police on a different phone, or ask someone else to call for you on 101

Banks or the police will never ask you to transfer your money into any other accounts or withdraw your money as it is at risk. They will also not ask you to go into the bank to transfer or withdraw money at any time.

Due to the increasing frequency of these scams occurring in the Cotswolds and across the country police are asking anyone who reads this article to share the information and talk to elderly family, neighbours and friends to warn them of this scam.

For more details follow Cotswolds Police on Twitter