A woman has shared her harrowing experience of falling victim to "spoofing" scammers who went on a lavish spending spree, including trips to Louis Vuitton and gambling, after stealing £50,000 from her bank account.
How it all started
Sharna Williams was targeted by scammers who manipulated their phone number to appear legitimate, fooling her into believing they were from her bank. By the time she realized what was happening, the scammers had already spent a substantial amount of money.
The scam unfolds
Sharna recounted how the scammers took over her accounts, drained her savings, and even took out personal loans in her name. They indulged in luxury shopping sprees at Louis Vuitton and engaged in multiple gambling sessions using her funds.
A distressing ordeal
Sharna's ordeal began with a phone call from someone claiming to be from HSBC, raising suspicions of fraud on her account. Despite conducting security checks, she later discovered that the scammers had locked her out of all her accounts and online banking platform.
HSBC's response
HSBC acknowledged the complexity of the fraud and apologized for falling short of their service standards in handling the situation. The matter was resolved in December 2023, with compensation offered to Sharna. She has the option to escalate her complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service if needed.
Action Fraud's stance
According to Action Fraud boss Pauline Smith, Sharna's case has not been referred to the police for investigation due to the high volume of reports they receive annually. Cases are assessed based on various factors, including the vulnerability of the victim.
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