Widdecombe hit by credit card fraud

Ann Widdecombe: "Never been to Bull and Bush"

Shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe has fallen victim to fraudsters who copied her credit card.

They are reported to have run up a £2,500 bill at a pub in London.

Miss Widdecombe said: "I can confirm that my credit card has been cloned but I will not comment on any detail in case it prejudices the police investigation."

The card was used 42 times before a credit company blocked it, according to The Sunday People.

To the best of my knowledge I have never been to The Old Bull and Bush

Ann Widdecombe

It said the card had been used nine times in one day at The Old Bull and Bush pub in Shepherd's Bush.

The fraudsters ran up the massive bill on food and drink and "cash back", the paper added.

The 53-year-old MP for Maidstone and The Weald was contacted by detectives at her office in the House of Commons to inform her of the fraud.

Details from her card had been transferred to a high-quality counterfeit by the gang, who would have obtained information from a legitimate transaction and changed the holder's name on the fake plastic.

"To the best of my knowledge I have never been to The Old Bull and Bush," said Miss Widdecombe.