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Officers have praised a quick-thinking Buckie shop worker for preventing an elderly
couple being scammed out of hundreds of pounds.
The couple, in their 70s, turned up at a store on the High Street asking to purchase a
significant quantity of Google vouchers. It later emerged they had been contacted on the
phone by a person who duped them into believing they were in line for a windfall which
could be redeemed by buying gift cards in the first instance.
Realising that something was not quite right at the till-point, the shop worker
quickly contacted Police to raise her concerns that the pair might be the victim of a
scam. Officers are now investigating the shameful incident and are continuing to urge
the public to be on their guard.
Detective Inspector Norman Stevenson said:
"Had it not been for the actions of this quick-thinking shop worker, the couple
could have been several hundred pounds out of pocket with the potential to be targeted
again and again. Sadly these scammers are becoming ever more professional and resourceful,
usually targeting people that are perceived to be more vulnerable and more likely to be
pressurised into thinking that the deal is real. It is callous and beyond comprehension
and certainly won't be tolerated.
"Thankfully with a bit of knowledge and awareness in this case a great deal of
heartache and further financial distress has been avoided. I would like to thank this
worker for not only stepping in but for the professional way in which she handled the
situation. It can be upsetting finding out you have been the victim of a scam but I
believe it was dealt with calmly and respectfully.
"I would like to take this chance to urge other shop workers and business owners
to be vigilant and to let the Police know as soon as possible if you have concerns about
a customer. Don’t be afraid to halt a purchase and to tell that person your concerns -
I'm sure their only feeling will be one of gratitude that you noticed the signs and stepped in.
"It might be that the transaction is genuine but we are becoming increasingly aware
of scammers asking their victims to pay off bogus debts or refunds by the way of gift
vouchers as these can be easily redeemed and sold on. The scammers don’t need the physical
card to redeem the value and instead get victims to read out the serial code on the back
over the phone to them. If you receive an unexpected call whereby the caller requests an
advance fee in the form of any type of gift card, you should immediately terminate the call.
"I would also appeal to the public again - no matter where you live - to be on
your guard of such scams and to ensure more vulnerable neighbours, family members and
friends are aware of the dangers. In saying this people who think it will never happen
to them can also fall victim as scammers are becoming increasingly believable and know
what tactics to use to force their victims into acting in a way they never imagined they
could. They can use local accents and conjure up elaborate cover stories to draw people in.
In some cases they have daily contact with their victims for a period of weeks to enhance
their credibility.
"Ultimately if a stranger contacts you with an offer that seems too good to be true,
it's likely that it is. Anyone with concerns about scam calls should contact Police on 101.
Information is also available on the Police Scotland website (click
HERE)."
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