Paul came dangerously close to being scammed during an incredibly vulnerable moment – while at the hospital for radiotherapy treatment. Thankfully his instincts kicked in and he kept himself from falling into the scammers trap – taking a second to double check with his bank’s fraud hotline and confirm that the people calling were not who they said they were.
Paul’s close call with financial fraud serves as a stark reminder of how convincing scammers can be when exploiting people’s trust and distraction. It is also a lesson in staying alert, which is crucial even in the most unexpected situations.
This is Paul’s story…
I was at the hospital, waiting to have radiotherapy treatment, when I got a call on my mobile from someone who said they were from my bank who explained that my details had been scammed and I needed to be issued a new bank card. The call was from a real number and the person at the other end of the line not only knew my name, but told me the bank card’s long number and went through some recent transactions that sounded like they were correct.
Being in the vulnerable state that I was in at the time, while awaiting my cancer treatment, at first thought I really did think it was from my bank. However, they then insisted that I give them my card’s pin number so they could move my money over to a new card. Thankfully, at this point, something clicked inside my head.
While they were doing their best to try to convince me that they were genuine, and push me into giving them my financial information, I told the person to wait a moment and muted the call. I mentioned what was going on to the radiotherapy nurse and she gave me her mobile phone so I could call my bank’s fraud hotline to check if it was really true.
Once I got through and spoke to someone at my bank, they immediately confirmed that the person who had called me did not work for them. After I told them what had happened, they stopped my card and issued a new one.
So it just goes to show you can be anywhere getting on with something in your life – in my case cancer treatment in the hospital – where your guard is down and you could be scammed.
Later on I made sure that I reported the number to 7726 and ActionFraud and my bank fraud department took details as well. They are very crafty, these people who try to scam you, so be on your guard! Take care.
Listen to your gut – and always double check!
Paul’s near miss highlights just how sophisticated and manipulative scammers can be, preying on people when they are most distracted or vulnerable. Not only did they have Paul’s name and number but were able to give the impression that they had detailed information on his financial transactions: a ploy that can make them seem as though they could be no one else but Paul’s bank.
Thankfully there is no way for a scammer to completely avoid suspicion: as soon as they asked Paul to give them his complete pin number – something a bank would never ask for – his gut instincts kicked in and he felt something was off.
The thing that saved Paul was not just his gut instinct, but the fact that he listened to and acted on this feeling. Rather than let himself be swept up in a sense of false urgency, he took a moment to do his own checks: by calling his bank himself he was able to get a clear confirmation that whoever was calling him was not legitimate.
Paul’s story is a powerful reminder to always verify suspicious calls, even when they appear genuine. No matter where you find yourself when a scammer calls, be prepared: vigilance and quick thinking can make all the difference.
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