Residents falls victim to credit card scam (From Dorset Echo)

Warning over credit card fraudsters

10:56am Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News By Anne Bell

POLICE are warning West Dorset residents about a bank card scam which could see them handing over their debit cards to fraudsters.

The con, which has been reported all over the country, came to light locally when a resident from the Beaminster area reported receiving a phone call from a person purporting to be from Barclays Bank, enquiring whether they had received their new debit card.

The resident said “no” and was advised that a courier would call later that day to deliver a new card and collect the old one.

The courier arrived and handed over a new card with the resident handing over their existing card.Later that day funds were withdrawn from their account by the scammers.

Bridport PCSO Andy Burdess warned people not to be fooled by the scam.

“Banks only supply new cards on request or when the old card has expired,” he said.

“Under normal circumstances, banks never request expired cards to be surrendered and they should be destroyed by the card owner.”

Police advise anyone who receives a similar call to hang up and to not answer and call the police if anyone comes to the door claiming to be such a courier.