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| News release 9th june 2011 |
For immediate release |
WARNING OVER SCAM INVOLVING ELDERLY VETERANS
The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) is warning of a scam aimed at gaining access to people’s bank account savings and which appears to be targeted at the elderly, including Armed Forces veterans.
The scam involves the victims receiving a telephone call from someone stating they are from their bank. The person will say that they need to get a new bank card and that it will be delivered by courier. A person posing as a courier then attends the address and takes the victims bank card in exchange for a ‘new’ one. The new bank card is a fake and the offenders will then go on to use the bank card from the victim to make numerous fraudulent transactions. It is thought that they obtain the pin number through the telephone conversation.
At least two of the four known victims of this scam have been Armed Forces veterans.
SPVA’s Head of Veterans Services, Jon Parkin, said:
“Whilst there is nothing to suggest that the Veterans Community is specifically being targeted, it is important for veterans to be aware of this scam and to remain vigilant. If people are approached in this way, they should refuse to become involved and should report the matter to their local police station.”
The warning was issued after the Police contacted the Agency and requested help in making veterans groups aware.
Ends
Notes to editors
- Image attached: Illustrative image of a pensioner on the telephone with a bank card. © Crown Copyright/MOD 2011.
- The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency is an Agency of the Ministry of Defence and provides essential support functions to the Armed Forces and veterans communities. These include forces pay and HR, issue of all medals, casualty repatriation and compassionate services, pensions, injury/bereavement compensation and veterans welfare support. The Agency operates from four main UK sites at Glasgow, Norcross near Blackpool, Imjin Barracks near Gloucester and HMS Sultan, Gosport
Further Information
- For further information, please contact David Johnson, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency Press Office, on 07717 882014.
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