Tesco staff uncover scam call on customer's mobile

Eagle eyed staff at Tesco in Dungannon who unfoiled a scam call being made to a customer who was shopping in the store this week have been praised by the PSNI.
Tesco staff have been praised for their quick thinking in picking up on the scam call.Tesco staff have been praised for their quick thinking in picking up on the scam call.
Tesco staff have been praised for their quick thinking in picking up on the scam call.

Police in Dungannon gave details of the bizarre incident where a shopper was almost conned out of £900 after being instructed to purchase Playstation vouchers on his mobile phone by scammers claiming to be from HMRC.

“Following our scam warnings over the last few days, security staff at Tesco’s became aware of a middle aged man who appeared to be being instructed on what to buy via the mobile phone he was talking on,” said the PSNI.

“Nothing unusual about that you may think, we’ve all run into the shop then had a call telling you to get some extra bits and bobs. On closer investigation this was no normal shopping trip, the male was being instructed by the scammers, via his mobile, to buy £900 of Playstation vouchers. The scammers claimed they were HMRC.

“The vigilance of Tesco’s staff stopped this man being defrauded. Now it probably seems beyond comprehension that you would be caught out in the same way, but in many cases these scammers are extremely convincing. The victim in this case genuinely believed he was talking to HMRC. These scams are happening across Mid Ulster from Maghera to Moy, Benburb to Bellaghy with the same tactics each time.”

The PSNI has urged vigilance among members of the public about similar scams.

“We always say this but make sure you warn family and friends about these scams, they are going on daily, and in many cases they go unreported,” the officer concluded.

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