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News | Scamwarning


Increase in scammers preying on vulnerable


CRIMINALS are using increasingly imaginative tactics to part pensioners fromtheir savings in an unprecedented attack on society’s most vulnerable, writes Jade Schopman. Since the beginning of this year,


Downs Mail has been inundated with reports of ruthless scammers pursuing householders for every penny they can get. Con artists have posed as council


members andpolice officers, smug- gled dead rats into homes while claiming to be pest controllers, then convincedresidents theanimalshad been found on their premises.And theyhave evendamagedproperties beforeknockingonthedoor andof- fering to fix their own vandalism. Policehave reportedcases of seri-


ous fraud in Headcorn, Lenham, Larkfield, Maidstone, Snodland, KingsHill andDitton. Andlocal councillors saythe situ-


ation seems to be gettingworse. Headcornboroughcouncillorand


AgeUKTrusteeMartinRound(pic- tured) said: “This subject isveryim- portant to me as my own mother, who is 87, got scammed lastChrist- mas. “A card came in the post in De-


cember, but it wasn’t a Christmas card. It seemed like a message of goodwill, but therewas a note from somebody claiming to be a financial advisorwith a number to call. “My mother called the number


and theymanaged to get a fewde- tails from her and this lured them into seekingmore,which they did. “As her power of attorney, I froze


the bank account,meaning I could only conduct finances using cash drawn from a branch over a long holiday period.Mymotherworries greatly about money and account management now, to the point where it does have a severe impact on her health. It’smore time,more stress andmore energy. “The victims think that because


these people sound genuine, that they are offering a genuine service, when in fact they’re not. “It’s something that is getting


worse in Headcorn, but it happens all over the place… Bearsted, Kingswood,Downswood. “I know of some Headcorn resi-


dents who have even had their number plates cloned and are get- ting speeding and parking fines through the post for offences they had not committed. It’s extremely worrying.”


How to avoid being a victim


POLICE and anti-fraud specialists are giving Downs Mail readers ex- tensive advice on spotting the signs of a scam, and guidance on who criminals target and how. District commanderChief Inspec-


tor Ray Quiller (pictured) said: “Please don’t allow anyone you don’t knoworwere not expecting to enter your property and certainly do not hand them cash or your bank card for repairs or services. “Don’t be afraid to ask them for


identification.” Inspector Mark Hedges added:


“Sadly, some criminals will look to exploit the more vulnerable mem- bers of our communities by charg- ing exorbitant amounts of money forwork that is often completely un- necessary or at best substandard.”


8 Maidstone Weald July 2019 Head of Action Fraud, Pauline


Smithsaid: “These criminalswill con- tact victims inmanyways including spoofed calls, voicemails and text messages. “People should spot the signs of


fraud and bewary of emailswith at- tachments which might contain viruses designed to obtain personal or financial information.” KCC victim safeguarding officer


ElaineMount said: “Victims are not just the elderly, they are peoplewith mental health issues, dementia, or those living alone. “Isolation is amajor problembe-


cause they (the callers) befriend themand, for the victim, it is a bit of company. “The financial and health impacts


can be devastating.” Formore information, visit www.kent.gov.uk/SpotTheSigns. If you think youmay be the victimof a scam, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or Kent Police on 101.


downsmail.co.uk INYOURAREA


MAIDSTONE A bogus pest con- troller convinced a pensioner he needed work done after smug- gling a dead rat into his property. The victim agreed to hire the crook but, after aweek of very lit- tle work and the price increasing to nearly £60,000, the pensioner contacted his family.KentCounty Council Trading Standards inter- vened and prevented the victim paying anymoremoney.


HEADCORNPolice received four reports of a woman asking for money to pay a locksmith, either because she had been locked out of her car or her bank cards had been stolen. Two of the targets were pensioners. A 54-year-old Maidstone woman was arrested and charged with two counts of fraud by false representation. She has been bailed to appear before MaidstoneMagistrates Court.


LENHAMAn elderly couplewere “scammed out of their life sav- ings” by two thieves claiming to be repairmen from the council. Kent Police said: “The house- holder, who is in his 90s, said he was persuaded to hand over his bank card and PIN to pay a de- posit for the repairs, after which the men left. The cash was taken fromhis account.”


LARKFIELDANDSNODLAND Two men have been accused of hurling bricks at roofs before knocking on doors and offering to fix the damaged tiles for cash. They were arrested on Saturday, May 11. Their vanwas stopped by officers at Quarry Wood Indus- trial Estate,Aylesford. They are on bail until July 30.


MAIDSTONEAn elderlywoman was cold-called by aman claiming to be a roofer. He convinced her roofwas leaking by going into the loft andbringingdown awetpiece ofwood that he had dipped in the water tank.He increased the price by “finding” other work that was in “urgent” need of attention. The criminal told the victim to cash several cheques, totalling over £10,000, at a high street cash ex- change business.


KINGS HILL Doorstep callers have been targeting homes, selling household products. Kings Hill Parish Council said: “They will often say they are on a rehabilita- tion scheme trying to find work andmay have a false trading per- mit or ID. Callersmay claimto be ex-convicts on a course arranged by probation services or other or- ganisations. Probation services do not run such schemes.”


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