A pensioner from Fleet, Valerie Horwood, 81, lost over £140,000 to a cruel gift card scam that drained her life savings. Now, she’s speaking out to raise fraud awareness and warn others about the dangers of falling for these types of scams.
A fraudster posing as an old school friend conned Valerie and tricked her into buying hundreds of gift cards. Sadly, her story is one of many. According to Action Fraud, in 2019 alone, 3,686 people lost nearly £6 million to gift card scams. This year, those numbers have skyrocketed, with 4,582 victims losing over £10 million between January and July.
The Scam Begins
In September 2022, a fraudster reached out to Valerie through Facebook, pretending to be Ritchie Blackmore, the guitarist from the rock band Deep Purple, whom she supposedly knew from school. The fraudster convinced her to help with an investment, promising that she would receive her money back with interest.
Valerie was asked to install the messaging app Signal, where the fraudster directed her to purchase Apple gift cards. She would then send the codes to the crook, who redeemed them. Over time, this cost Valerie approximately £140,000.
“When I realised it was a scam, I was devastated,” Valerie shared. “I thought I was helping a friend, but I was just losing all my money. He kept asking for more and more gift cards, and I just kept buying them until I ran out of money completely.”
The Emotional and Financial Impact of Fraud
Fraud doesn’t just affect victims financially; the emotional toll can be devastating. Valerie’s daughter, Debbie Horwood, expressed her frustration over the situation. “Mum could have used that money to support herself in her later years or for the things she’s always wanted to do,” Valerie said. Recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, Valerie had hoped to use some of her savings to visit her grandson abroad. Sadly, that dream may never come true.
This story highlights the importance of fraud prevention and the critical need to be aware of potential scams. Fraudsters often target vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly, knowing they may be more trusting and less familiar with modern technology.
Supermarkets Respond
Valerie visited several supermarkets to buy the gift cards that ultimately cost her everything. While Tesco has refunded some of the money to her, other supermarkets have not yet responded.
Tesco issued a statement saying, “We take precautions to protect our customers from gift card fraud, including limiting the number of cards that can be purchased in one transaction. Our colleagues are trained to spot scams, and we work with UK Finance on the Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign.”
Other retailers, like Morrisons, Boots, and Sainsbury’s, have also taken steps to protect their customers. Morrisons said, “We sympathise with victims of these scams. We are educating staff to spot vulnerable customers being targeted.”
Boots added, “We were saddened to hear about Mrs Horwood’s ordeal. Nine months ago, our Fleet store raised concerns when we noticed suspicious gift card purchases, and we refused further sales despite Mrs Horwood’s assurances. We also contacted the police to offer our support.”
Sainsbury’s emphasised its efforts to limit gift card sales, stating, “We restrict the number and value of gift cards customers can purchase in a single transaction. Our colleagues are trained to identify suspicious transactions, and we display fraud warnings at our gift card sections.”
Protect Yourself from Gift Card Scams
Valerie’s story is a harsh reminder of how easily these types of scams can happen. However, there are several ways to protect yourself from falling victim:
1. Be cautious of unsolicited messages: If someone contacts you online and asks for money or gift cards, be suspicious. Even if they claim to be someone you know, take the time to verify their identity through another channel.
2. Never use gift cards as payment: Legitimate businesses or individuals won’t ask for gift cards as payment. If someone asks you to pay this way for a service or investment, it’s a scam.
3. Limit the information you share online: Fraudsters often gather personal details from social media to make their scams more convincing. Be mindful of what you post publicly.
4. Report suspicious activity right away: If you think fraudsters have targeted you, immediately contact Action Fraud or your local police. The quicker you act, the better the chances of recovering your money. The quicker you act, the better the chances of recovering your money.
5. Talk to someone you trust: If something doesn’t feel right, talk to a trusted friend or family member. Fraudsters rely on secrecy and pressure to keep you from thinking clearly. A second opinion can help prevent a costly mistake.
Supermarkets Take Action
Retailers like Waitrose and WHSmith are also stepping up their efforts to stop gift card fraud. Waitrose said, “We’ve issued additional guidance to our shops and are exploring additional safeguards to protect vulnerable customers from gift card scams.”
WHSmith highlighted its strict procedures for gift card sales, saying, “We have spending caps and steps in place to prevent fraud, and we alert customers to the risks. If a customer requests an investigation, we can work with our third-party provider to attempt to cancel any unused gift cards.”
A Collective Effort
Valerie’s story clearly underscores the importance of raising fraud awareness across the UK. As scams continue to evolve, they are becoming more sophisticated, with fraudsters finding new ways to exploit vulnerable individuals. In addition, many people are unaware of the growing risks, making them easy targets.
Therefore, it’s essential for everyone to stay on guard and actively spread awareness—not just for their own safety but also for their loved ones. Ultimately, fraud prevention is a shared responsibility, and by staying informed and vigilant, together, we can reduce the number of people who fall victim to these heartless crimes. In doing so, we protect not only ourselves but also our communities.
