Retired elderly people in Barbados are being targeted by some criminals and police say they are monitoring this trend that has been developing.
In a press release, police said: “Criminals are contacting these retired individuals by telephone and pretending the calls are from a relative residing overseas, and delivering hard luck stories and claims that they are in need of desperate assistance and need funds; or in some cases they purport to be sending home items such as cars and will ask the retirees to pay over funds to persons to clear these items until they return.
“Without checking, the funds are paid to the fraudsters. Once the account of the victim (elderly) has been depleted, they move on to another. These scams and transactions are mostly done without the knowledge of other family members”.
In light of this, police are requesting that all persons be aware of this scam and urged relatives to monitor the activities of their relatives.
Police reported the money that have been taken are all large sums.
“So far police have arrested some of the known perpetrators involved and continue to seek other persons knowing to be involved”.
Police said they are committed to the protection of all senior citizens. (CM/PR)
