Peterborough pensioner loses £100,000 of gold coins to scammers
A Peterborough pensioner has lost £100,000 worth of gold to scammers, police have revealed.
Officers are now investigating in a bid to get the coins back – and have also issued a warning to others in a bid to prevent others from falling victim to conmen.
A spokesperson for the force said: “On a balmy Thursday afternoon in May, an elderly man from Peterborough received a series of worrying phone calls from the Financial Conduct Authority.
“The person on the line told him they were involved in an important investigation into gangs targeting elderly individuals and needed to know if he had anything valuable in his house that might put him at risk.
“He informed them he had some gold coins worth around £100,000. They explained they needed to collect the coins for his safety and to keep them safe from the gangs.
“The elderly man got the coins ready in a bag and later that day he received a knock at the door…
“He dutifully handed over the coins and later received a call thanking him for doing so and requesting he didn't speak to the bank or police about their conversations.
“Shortly after these calls, reality dawned on the vulnerable man as he began to realise this was a scam.
“An investigation has been launched.”
Cambridgeshire Police have issued advice on how to stay safe.
Police advice
If someone knocks at your front door claiming to be from a company, first check their ID. If you’re not happy, don’t let them in.
Never call the phone number on a salesperson's ID card to check them out. Ask them to wait outside, shut the door and find the company number on the internet. If they’re genuine, they’ll understand.
Banks and the police will never call you to verify your PIN. They won’t ask you to withdraw money or buy or send items on their behalf for investigations.
Always verify suspicious calls by contacting the organisation using a trusted phone number. If calling back from a landline after a suspicious call, wait a few minutes as criminals may stay on the line after you hang up. Alternatively, use a different phone line to call your bank.
Never transfer money or make purchases on behalf of someone you don’t know.