Warning over telephone credit card fraud

TERIES have been warned to be on the alert after fraudsters conned £400 out of a Hawick pensioner.
The lady, who does not wish to be named, was duped into revealing her credit card details over the phone after being told she had won a holiday. The caller said they were from credit card giants Mastercard and that the holiday was a reward for prompt payment of her bills.

Her daughter told the Hawick News: "My mum kept telling them on the phone that she didn't think this was right, but they passed her onto three different people, including a supposed executive and they persuaded her to give over her details. They just made her feel that it was true and real."

The elderly lady was told the so-called "free" holiday would cost between £270 and £280, but when the credit card was subsequently contacted, the £400 sum had been lifted.

Her daughter added: "It's all in the hands of the credit card company now and they're treating it as fraud. My mum was lucky because she hasn't a big credit limit, but I'd hate to think of this kind of thing happening to other people."

By Gavin Gibbon