There are different variants of the scam, some using online banking devices, whilst others use sim card readers or card payment technology, said Katherine Hart of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
She said: “We are aware of devices which read the ‘chip and pin’ on a card to harvest and clone its data and others where a live link is set up with the scammer and a transaction is taken out immediately.”
Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, a charity, said: “Fraud affects people of all ages and backgrounds, but we know that older people with higher incomes, or who live alone, are more likely to report having been a victim.
“This is going to be a tough year for everyone, so we urge older people to be vigilant and remember, if there is any doubt about the authenticity of an offer or piece of correspondence, do not respond and report it to the authorities immediately.”
Ms Hart warned many people had been pushed towards online banking in recent years. She said: “Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods, especially amid the pressures and confusion of the cost of living crisis and in the aftermath of the pandemic, as all generations are having to become more reliant on technology and online services.
“So it’s not just the elderly at risk, young people are susceptible to this type of high pressure scam too.”
Action Fraud said it had received 560 reports last year relating to card readers. Meanwhile the wider trend of courier fraud, where a scammer…
