A PENSIONER from Worcester who was almost conned out of £200 is urging other people not to fall victim to the same scam.

Roger Bailey, of Ullswater Close, Warndon, was led to believe he would receive more than £4,000 in overpaid bank charges if he handed over the money by a cold caller claiming to be from the Office of Fair Trading.

The 69-year-old went to pay the requested £196 at a financial services business, where staff warned him they did not believe that the offer was genuine.

After checking with his bank, they too told him it was a scam and his sister, Dawn Hadfield, reported the call to police. She said: “There are so many vulnerable people out there.

“I’ve contacted BT and barred all cold calls to Roger’s number now.

“When you get told you’re going to get more than £4,000, you think, ‘Brilliant’ – and it’s not true.

“Hopefully, by telling our story we can help other people avoid going through the same thing.”

Last year, West Mercia Police received reports of more than 15 people being targeted by telephone scams in Worcestershire, including four in Evesham.

At least two of the victims were known to have each handed over £100.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police warned people to be wary of calls from companies offering large cash refunds for bank charges or other claims. He said: “Often the scammers will sound quite genuine and may already have personal details such as your name, address and who you bank with.

“They often use unsuspecting and legitimate businesses as a conduit. For example, money transfer companies have been used by conmen to obtain funds deceitfully.

“Be cautious about any ‘company’ calling with an offer that seems suspicious or too good to be true. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

“If you are suspicious about a caller, ask if you can call them back and use a number from the organisation’s website, the phone directory or directory enquiries. Do not use a number supplied by the caller themselves.”