Elderly targeted in credit card cash-point scam

Tag : shielding machine

Police in Harrow have advised pensioners to use cash-points withextra vigilance after a recent spate of cash-card robberiesinvolving the elderly.
Criminal gangs are known to be stealing credit cards from older people in the area and twenty five thefts have beenreported in recent weeks. A typical robbery involves one thiefobserving the pin number whilst it is typed into the ATM thendistracting the victim’s attention whilst an accomplicecancels the transaction and swipes the card as it is ejected by themachine.
Police believe that the thefts are carried out by organised gangsrather than lone criminals and are urging the elderly to use cashpoints with greater caution by shielding their pin number fromview.
“What we need is to re-educate more elderly residents who areusing cash machines and make them more aware of this offence andthat it is growing,” said Sergeant Steve Nicholas of HarrowPolice. “They have to be more guarded and shield their pinswhen using cash points.”
Two men have been arrested in conjunction with the crime after apolice operation.