Pensioner Barry Stone (pictured) has been reunited with his life-savings thanks to a taxi driver who realised he had been hoodwinked into taking part in a cruel cash scam
Pensioner Barry Stone has been reunited with his life-savings thanks to a taxi driver who realised he had been hoodwinked into taking part in a cruel cash scam.
The 78-year-old, from Marlow, was handed back his £12,000 cash savings after shameless tricksters persuaded him he needed to withdraw it all from the bank and hand it to the cabbie who would collect it from him.
Retired cabinet maker Mr Stone received a call on his landline from scammers, who claimed they were ringing from Scotland Yard and investigating bank fraud.
They told him to withdraw £12,000 from his bank account and hand it over to a taxi driver who would drive it to London so they could check for fingerprints on the bank notes.
Meanwhile the scammers dialled a cab firm local to the OAP’s home and arranged for them to pick up the money – £8,000 in £50 notes and £4,128 worth of Euros – and drive it to the capital.
Luckily for Mr Stone, cabbie Izy Rashid smelled a rat straight away and returned to Mr Stone’s home, desperate to reunite him with his life savings.
‘I didn’t sleep afterwards and I couldn’t eat at all, it was such a lot of money,’ said the elderly widower at his home in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
The father-of-one added: ‘I feel so relieved now, I can have something to eat, no problem. I’m very, very relieved.’
Speaking to the scammers Mr Stone said: ‘You just believe them sometimes, don’t you? You think you’re helping people out.
Luckily for Mr Stone, cabbie Izy Rashid (pictured) smelled a rat straight away and returned to the Mr Stone’s home, desperate to reunite him with his life savings
Speaking to the scammers Mr Stone said: ‘You just believe them sometimes, don’t you? You think you’re helping people out’
‘They say they want the money because it’s got fingerprints on it and it’s somebody at the bank, they might be able to catch them and you believe them. However, never again.
‘It makes me look so foolish. I was rushing about, I went for my “flu jab, came back at about 1.30pm. I hadn’t had anything to eat and then you think the police are phoning, you don’t register.”‘
After contacting the police, Mr Rashid returned to Mr Stone’s home and gave him back his money, much to his delight.
‘He’s a wonderful man and friend now, a very, very good friend,’ said Mr Stone.
‘I’ll start using his taxis now. I’m going away in a few weeks time and flying from Heathrow so I’ll make sure I use him then.
‘I’m really angry that people can do something like that though, rob you and take your money – targeting old people as well,’ he added.
‘How can they do that? I was brought up to respect my elders so I’d never, ever dream of doing something like that.’
Retired cabinet maker Mr Stone received a call on his landline from scammers, who claimed they were ringing from Scotland Yard and investigating bank fraud. Pictured, Izy Rashid speaking to police officers
Mr Stone has lived alone since the death of his wife Pat 12 years ago. He explained that he was going on holiday to Thailand in a few weeks but would have been forced to cancel his plans, had Mr Rashid not stepped in
Although the father-of-four cabbie saved the pensioner from losing everything, he humbly declined to accept any plaudits.
‘I don’t think I’m a hero. It’s just immoral to take somebody’s money, especially someone so old and fragile,’ he said.
‘I’m just happy I was able to stop this man from losing his entire life savings, simple as that. I’m certain that if we weren’t already aware of scams like this he would have lost all of that money.
‘It’s really sad that stuff like that goes on and I just hope this will help raise the awareness of these scams and make more people aware of what can happen.
‘It’s heartbreaking to think that without our intervention Mr Stone could have been left penniless.’
Mr Stone has lived alone since the death of his wife Pat 12 years ago.
He explained that he was going on holiday to Thailand in a few weeks but would have been forced to cancel his plans, had Mr Rashid not stepped in.
‘We got a phone call from somebody in London by the name of Gary to pick someone up in Marlow,’ said the 37-year-old taxi driver.
‘We thought it was a bit suspicious because when we got there he (Mr Stone) just gave us a box. My colleague brought it back to the office but then I took it back to the gentleman.
Although the father-of-four cabbie saved the pensioner from losing everything, he humbly declined to accept any plaudits
Mr Stone was taken back to the Marlow branch of NatWest by two police officers to get the cash back into his account
‘At first he said “No, it’s aftershave for my son” because that’s what the scammers had told him to say. We later released they had rung him, claiming to be from the Met Police.
‘They wanted him to go to his bank and get all the money out of his account and they would check the fingerprints of the money. So he had taken it all out, put it in the box, and then they told him not to tell anyone what it was about.’
Mr Stone was taken back to the Marlow branch of NatWest by two police officers to get the cash back into his account.
Mr Rashid added that he was glad that his company, Neales, of Marlow, was able to help.
‘As a company that actual cares about customers we want to do everything to protect them,’ he said.
‘We consider their safety and wellbeing is paramount. Therefore if we receive a call that sounds suspicious we ensure we take necessary steps to protect any vulnerable customers.’
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police, which is investigating the courier scam, said: ‘We received a report of fraud at around 11am this morning in relation to an incident of fraud which occurred at around 6pm yesterday in Marlow.
‘Officers are investigating the incident. There are no arrests at this stage. Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101.’
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police, which is investigating the courier scam, said: ‘We received a report of fraud at around 11am this morning in relation to an incident of fraud which occurred at around 6pm yesterday in Marlow’
Mr Rashid added that he was glad that his company, Neales, of Marlow, was able to help