A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment for obtaining cash and goods using bank cards belonging to three elderly female residents.
Each of the residents had been tricked out to their bank cards after receiving a telephone call purporting to come from their bank asking for details about their cards and their PIN numbers. They were then visited at home by an unknown ‘courier’ who collected the cards, which were then used fraudulently.
Each of the residents had been tricked out to their bank cards after receiving a telephone call purporting to come from their bank asking for details about their cards and their PIN numbers. They were then visited at home by an unknown ‘courier’ who collected the cards, which were then used fraudulently.
The residents aged 65, 83 and 91, lived in Pipewell Road, Carshalton, St Mary Avenue, Wallington and Longford Gardens, Sutton, respectively.
In June and September 2015, Zac Rennie Lewis used the residents’ cards to make a total of £6,248 to make purchases and withdrawals from banks and stores in Sutton and Croydon. An attempt was made to obtain a further £615 but was unsuccessful.
But the spending spree came to an end when Lewis was caught after he used one of the cards to purchase two mobile phones for £1,195 from CEX Appliances, of George Street, Croydon.
Police obtained CCTV footage from the store and issued a public appeal in the local press on Friday, 2 October 2015. The appeal resulted in many calls being received via Crimestoppers identifying Lewis.
At Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, 1 June, Lewis (dob: 17.10.1988), of Pixton Way, Croydon, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to eight charges of fraud by false representation.
Police advise residents to always be suspicious of telephone or doorstep callers asking for information about your bank cards and wanting you to reveal your PIN. Your bank would already have your account and PIN details and would never ask for your cards to be returned - and such requests are likely to be a scam to steal your money. If you are suspicious of anyone calling at your door, shut the door keeping them outside, and call police on 999. We would rather come out and check that everything is OK, than to find someone has become a victim of crime.
In June and September 2015, Zac Rennie Lewis used the residents’ cards to make a total of £6,248 to make purchases and withdrawals from banks and stores in Sutton and Croydon. An attempt was made to obtain a further £615 but was unsuccessful.
But the spending spree came to an end when Lewis was caught after he used one of the cards to purchase two mobile phones for £1,195 from CEX Appliances, of George Street, Croydon.
Police obtained CCTV footage from the store and issued a public appeal in the local press on Friday, 2 October 2015. The appeal resulted in many calls being received via Crimestoppers identifying Lewis.
At Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, 1 June, Lewis (dob: 17.10.1988), of Pixton Way, Croydon, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to eight charges of fraud by false representation.
Police advise residents to always be suspicious of telephone or doorstep callers asking for information about your bank cards and wanting you to reveal your PIN. Your bank would already have your account and PIN details and would never ask for your cards to be returned - and such requests are likely to be a scam to steal your money. If you are suspicious of anyone calling at your door, shut the door keeping them outside, and call police on 999. We would rather come out and check that everything is OK, than to find someone has become a victim of crime.