Fraudster Jailed for Targeting Elderly in Bank Card Scam

A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after collecting bank cards from elderly victims who had been duped by fake bank calls. 💳⚖️

Christopher Harvey of Windsor Avenue, Wolverhampton, visited the homes of an 80-year-old woman in Cumberland and an 83-year-old man in Maesteg, Bridgend, after they received fraudulent phone calls claiming their accounts had been compromised.

The court heard that in November last year, the female victim received a call from someone pretending to be from her bank, claiming she had been defrauded. After providing her details, Harvey collected her card from her home. She later became suspicious and contacted her bank, but not before £250 had been withdrawn. Four additional £1,000 transactions were attempted but blocked.

In December, the male victim was contacted by someone claiming to be a private investigator who convinced him to hand over six bank cards to Harvey to “check them for fingerprints.” £3,697 was subsequently spent at a Curry’s store in Bridgend using one of the cards.

Harvey was identified through CCTV and ANPR cameras before being arrested with the victims’ cards still in his possession.

The male victim told the court: “I feel totally devastated this young man has come to my home where I have lived since I was 17-years-old and taken advantage of my good nature by pretending to be my bank… He did this for his own financial gain. He took out a bank payment in my name and used bank cards. I fear these details could be used again. It’s had a lasting effect on my life and continues to do so. I am yet to receive my money from the bank because they have frozen my bank accounts while investigations are carried out.”

Harvey, who has six previous cautions for similar offences, claimed he had been threatened to carry out the crimes and was paid between £200 and £250 per job.

The defence noted Harvey had been diagnosed with autism in childhood and has job prospects awaiting his release.

Judge Daniel Williams stated: “This sort of mean, calculated offending to defraud the elderly and vulnerable is too serious to be dealt with by anything other than immediate imprisonment.”

Harvey will serve seven months before being released on licence.