The TCA have been informed of many fraudulent goings on using modern technology, usually against the elderly (who have less confidence with ever advancing technology). One couple from Newbridge, John and Carol Williams, are one of the latest reported cases of an intelligent scam that is rife around the globe at the moment. We have all heard or know someone that has been affected with identity theft, however, when someone asks you for your bank account password, would you give it to them?
The retired couple had just sold an apartment in Tenerife and had their savings banked in several separate accounts with the intention of purchasing a sea side escape for Carol to spend her last days, as she is suffering with terminal cancer. John wanted to spend all the time he could with her in the proposed new sea-side property. However, this was not to be.
Mr Williams, 64 received a phone call from a number that he took to be Santander’s, on a Wednesday evening. The caller claimed to work for Mr Williams bank, and advised him that there had been fraudulent activities on his account, that he would need to transfer all of his funds from his three accounts to a newly opened account (in the name of J Williams) to prevent any further fraudulent activity. Mr Williams told the caller that he could not see any monies having being deducted from said account, however the caller quickly intervened that it was set to come out in the morning, but it would not be visible on the account yet.
Mr Williams gave out his telephone banking passwords over the phone to this caller, presuming that his funds would be safer being moved over. However, once the caller had made the transactions on Johns accounts, he hung up. Mr Williams’ suspicions were raised at this point and he made a call to Santander to make sure he was doing the correct thing. The person that took his call told him that they were not responsible for the transfers that he was told to make. Mr Williams was about to cancel his transfers, when another person (another fraudster) called his landline and confirmed that the transactions were safe, and he was to proceed.
This calmed Mr Williams, so he did not cancel any of the transfers (totalling a whopping £53,000.00) from going to the new account. The next day, John, a retired British Telecom employee phoned the bank again, to confirm all had transferred ok when he found out that the account in the name ‘J Williams’ had not been made in the Santander bank, and his life savings had disappeared over night. He was caught up in a very professional operation. The worst part of this horrific story is that Mr & Mrs Williams are not able to claim back the money that they have lost from anywhere, as they had provided the password to their online banking account freely.
We at the TCA would like to remind you all; your bank will never ask for your login and password on a phone call, they usually use a secret pin to identify the user, then privacy questions. Also, report any suspicious phone calls that you receive, whether you think they are petty or not. You may help someone else and prevent others from the suffering that Mr & Mrs Williams are going through at the moment.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk