Walsall 87-year-old hands over £3,000 in crash for cash scam
An 87-year-old driver was tricked into handing over £3,000 in a crash for cash scam in Walsall.
The victim was driving on Sutton Road when he was involved in a crash with a left-hand drive dark coloured car with a foreign registration number BE7650.
Two men in the other vehicle told the victim they were French, their car was hired and he had to compensate them for a £3,000 deposit they had paid.
The pensioner was reluctant to hand over the cash without telling his insurance company, so the offenders offered to call his insurers on their mobile.
They then handed the phone to the victim who has been told by an unknown man that for a number of reasons paying the amount requested in cash was the simplest option and that he would be reimbursed within 21 days.
The victim has then been driven to his bank by the offenders to withdraw the cash which he has handed over.
It was only on contacting his insurance company at a later date, and being told that they had no knowledge of the incident on March 7, that he realised he had been duped.
Police Investigator Lisa Lacey said: “Usually crash for cash, deliberately causing a road traffic collision, is aimed at defrauding insurance companies.
"The innocent driver being tricked into handing over money makes this crime all the more despicable.
“Please be on the look out for the offenders’ vehicle. Being left-hand drive, it should stand out.”
Anyone who has any information which may assist the investigation is asked to contact the police via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am to midnight, call 101 anytime or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting crime reference number 20WS/66162K/19.
