Elderly man tricked by fake banking app in Lancashire phone sale scam
An elderly man has been conned out of a mobile phone after being duped by a fraudster using a fake banking app in Lancashire.
Police were called around 10am on Wednesday after the victim advertised a phone for sale online and was contacted by a man who claimed he wanted to buy it.
The buyer arrived at the seller’s home in a silver Ford Estate, showed a fake banking app to make it appear as though money had been transferred, and persuaded the man to hand over the phone. The payment never arrived.
The suspect is described as white, around 5ft 6in, wearing a long jacket with inside pockets and a woolly hat. Enquiries to identify him are ongoing.
Officers say similar scams are becoming increasingly common, with fraudsters using fake banking apps to trick people into parting with cash or valuables — either in person or through online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “Bank app transfers are usually instantaneous – never hand over an item to a stranger unless the payment has safely arrived in your bank account.
“Never allow a stranger to transfer money into your bank account in exchange for cash.
“As well as exposing you to the risk of being defrauded, you could also be committing money laundering offences.”
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of fraud should contact police on 101, or report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.