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Elderly victims hit by £25,000 scams Hospice launches £4m expansion bid AN OXFORD hospice has announced plans for a £4million expansion. Oxford East MP Andrew
Smith joined staff at Sobell Mr Smith’s wife Val stayed at See page 17 for full story. House last Thursday for the the hospice in Churchill Hos- VË®Á ~ Í¯Ë +Ë aÁjÝË. Í Ë? aË appeal launch to provide a pital, Headington, before her ®ÄjW aËÁ ~ Í¯Ë ÁË ?ÁßË jÁË Ý Í Ë¬?Í j ÍÄË?ÍËÍ jË ?Ö W new building and care team. death last year.
UNSUSPECTING elderly people in Abingdon have handed over £25,000 to telephone scammers posing as police officers, fraud investigators or bank employees over the last three weeks. They were conned out of their savings after being convinced to give envelopes of cash to couriers when told it was necessary for them to work undercover to expose fraud or because their bank accounts had been compromised. One woman victim was convinced by the offenders to buy two expensive Rolex watches from a jeweller’s and give them to a man who called at her door. Detective Sergeant Francesca Jarvis, based at Abingdon Police Station, said: “The offenders are very plausible and target honest and upstanding members of the community. “Unfortunately, they target vulnerable people, including the elderly. “I would urge everyone to remain vigilant and ensure you, your friends and family, know what to do should someone attempt this fraud.
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By Alex Ballinger “Take a moment to discuss it with loved ones to prevent yourself and people you know from becoming a victim of these types of scams.” The victim who handed over the watches to the scammers had bought them from Goldsmiths Jewellers in the Clarendon Centre in Oxford city centre at about 4pm on Wednesday, December 23, and at 10am on Thursday, December 24. The man who collected them from her home is described as being Asian, in his 30s, 5ft 4in tall, of slim build, with short dark hair and a black beard. He was wearing a white zip-up jacket. Det Sgt Jarvis said: “She may have been watched as she went to the jeweller’s and I would like to speak to anyone who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at these times to get in touch.” Some of the victims hung up on the callers to try to call their banks, but the fraudsters would VË Í ÖjÄË Ë¬?~jËÏË