At 86, she is the victim of a huge telephone scam "that could affect anyone"

It is well known that scammers always prey on the most vulnerable. In this case, an 86-year-old woman, carer for her husband suffering from dementia, whom they harassed continuously until they obtained what they were looking for: to strip her of all her savings. A method of unspeakable cruelty, which could well arrive in France . Because the old lady, Janet, is an Englishwoman living in the city of St Albans, in the south of the kingdom. The information was brought to us by Marie France , who spotted her thanks to the cult British television program, The Morning , on the set of which the victim testified.

A skillfully orchestrated telephone harassment

Janet says that in early April 2025, she received a call from the local fraud squad, alerting her that her credit card had been used in a fraudulent attempt to purchase gas and furniture. Obviously, there was a scammer on the other end of the line . Putting people in a state of anxiety and urgency is a well-rehearsed method. This scammer went so far as to pose as a detective named PC Harris, claiming, boldly, to be investigating cybercriminals targeting "vulnerable people in the area." That's where it ends on the first day.

Preparation starts on the second day

The next day, the fake detective called Janet back: 44,500 euros had allegedly been diverted from her bank account and transferred to a German bank . But he reassured her that the fraud squad had managed to prevent the transaction and that her account had ultimately been spared. The trap then closed.

On the third day, the scammers take action

The first, alias "PC Harris," calls Janet back to ask her to secure her "now compromised" account by purchasing valuables as collateral, which will be reimbursed by the police. To assure the old lady of the veracity of his detective status, he then suggests dialing a number beginning with "999," supplemented by his ID number. This is where his accomplices come into play: they were diverting calls to the fake police officer's cell phone, and had tapped Janet's to prevent any outside contact. Which requires some serious logistics.

Convinced by the criminals' scheme and anxious not to be robbed, the octogenarian went to a jeweler and bought 50,300 euros worth of Rolex watches . She returned home and shortly after, when the fake detective called her back, a "courier" came to her home to collect the watches . At the other end of the line , there was immediate silence: no more PC Harris. "Dinner was being prepared and all of a sudden, there was no one on the phone," she said. Then: "I thought, 'Wait a minute.' I don't have my money anymore, I don't have my watches anymore."

Despite this improbable story, Janet never got her money back and blames her bank, which, she denounces, "did nothing." This is why she chose to testify on camera. According to her, the transfer of such a sum should have aroused suspicion . But, as she admits: "The magnitude of the situation overwhelms you. I was like numb."