Police hunt cash con suspects who may have struck in Barnet borough (From Times Series)

Police hunt cash con suspects who may have struck in Barnet borough

12:10pm Friday 14th August 2009

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SEVEN people are wanted in connection with a £200,000 cash scam on “vulnerable” pensioners.

Victims say con artists phoned them and claimed to be police officers looking into fraud on their bank account.

The incidents have occurred across seven London boroughs, and fraudsters are thought to have preyed on at least one victim in the borough of Barnet.

Police said the criminals asked for the victim's account details before turning up at their address in plain clothes to collect their bank card, telling the victim they need to run the card through a machine at Scotland Yard to identify the person responsible for the fraud.

The victim is occasionally given a reference number or codeword, or asked to place their card in an envelope and write the pin number on a slip of paper.

They are then told not to speak to anyone about the incident as it would "jeopardise the investigation", detectives added.

The scam has cost the elderly victims more than £200,000 in total, with some people losing up to £25,000.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Chris Krelle, from Havering, is leading the investigation, and said officers are looking into 72 linked offences often involving suspects in their late teens and early 20s.

Cards were later used in bookies and shops where the offenders were caught on CCTV.

“These cowardly offences are being committed against the most frail and vulnerable people in our communities,” said DCI Krelle.

"We appeal to anyone who recognises the faces of those people on CCTV, or has any information that can assist our enquiries, to contact us. It is very important that we identify the offenders and bring them to account for their actions.

"If you feel you have been a victim of this type of crime, please get in contact with us and report the offence. In addition, if you are contacted by anyone who uses the methods we have described, alert police immediately.”

He advised people to contact their bank if they believe they have been a victim of credit card fraud, and said everyone should ask to see the warrant card of an officer who calls at their address.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 01708 779283 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.