Bank worker saves victim of scams

The pensioner was writing about 20 cheques a week

A Halifax bank cashier has been rewarded for stopping an elderly woman losing money to postal scams.

Lesley Chambers, from Liverpool, realised an 89-year-old customer had been writing about 20 cheques a week in response to scam mail demands.

The pensioner had lost thousands of pounds by responding to the letters, but Ms Chambers managed to recover £1,000 of the cash.

Ms Chambers has been given the North West Doorstep Crime Award.

She was nominated for the accolade by Liverpool Trading Standards.

It really broke my heart that there were people out there conning this pensioner out of all her life savings - she had even started cashing in her pension just to pay these scams Lesley Chambers

The scam victim had gone to the bank after she had a letter telling her a cheque had bounced because of a lack of funds in the account.

It emerged the victim had been responding to every item of junk mail that came though the door of her sheltered accommodation flat.

One conned her into believing she had won £1m, but as the money was coming from Australia she would have to pay for the cost of the transfer.

One payment was for eight coconut macaroon biscuits at a price of £19.73.

Ms Chambers said: "I couldn't believe what I was seeing and it really broke my heart that there were people out there conning this pensioner out of all her life savings - she had even started cashing in her pension just to pay these scams.

"I refused to let it go and asked the old lady to bring all the correspondence in.

"I cancelled many of the cheques, which saved her nearly £1,000, and got in touch with Liverpool City Council's Trading Standards team."

Now at sheltered housing schemes in Liverpool wardens help filter out scam mail and recycle it.