FORMER SDLP Mayor of Derry Brenda Stevenon has warned the public to be on their guard after her elderly father almost became the latest victim of phone scammers.
She has revealed that he was targeted in a phone scam racket and a fraudster threatened with arrest by the police if he did not stump up £4,500 in unpaid taxes dating back over four decades.
The ex-councillor posted on Facebook: “Some scumbag tried to scare the sh*t out of my elderly dad by trying to scam him out of £4500.00.
“Please folks if you get a call similar to this report it.
“Look after you elderly family and friends and advise them never to give personal details over the phone. 😡😡😡😡”
She reposted a Facebook message from her sister Ursual which read: “Now that I’ve got over the shock and can laugh at it I’d like to warn everyone of something that happened my poor daddy today….and remind you to make sure your family and friends never give out bank details on the phone….
“So I ring daddy today to tell him I’m on my way and I’ll be with him shortly, he replies in a shaky voice “aw Ursula I’ve just received a phone call from the inland revenue stating I owe the £4,500 unpaid tax from 1971”.
“As we have had issues before and I know they calculate fines daily it sounded pretty likely that over the years it could mount up….
“He then says ‘they’re sending a warrant for my arrest and the police will be here shortly”.
“I actually thought I was going to be sick thinking of the situation he was in ..I pictured my poor daddy being taken away in handcuffs (a man who is the pillar of his community) and poor mammy in the house…..
“Panicking I ring our Una Hume and after short discussion I decide to ring the police to see if this is genuine…..
“It is a scam and people are being scammed out of thousands because they are being threatened like this!!!!
“I am absolutely disgusted that people would stoop to these measures…..”
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