A 98-year-old woman from Bexley was nearly conned out of £4,000 before her grandson intercepted.

Blendon and Penhill Police recently reported that they had had a call about someone pretending to be from Santander bank.

A 98-year-old lady who lives on the ward had a call from someone saying they were a Police Officer and that they were investigating theft from accounts at Santander and they needed her to go and withdraw £4,000 from her bank.

She told him she was too tired and to call back.

The following day he did call back and he told her to dial 999 to verify his identify.

She did this without hanging up and of course, the line was kept open to the thief where someone else said that he was a police officer.

She then went to the Bexleyheath branch of the bank and attempted to withdraw £4,000. Luckily the trained staff intercepted this and only let her have £300.

The thief has then kept the line open and told her to go to Sidcup branch and withdraw over £3,000.

She went there and they gave her the limit on a card withdrawal of £2,000. When she got home she spoke to the thief who was arranging to pick up the money when her grandson arrived.

He took the phone and the thief hung up. A very lucky escape.

As you can imagine she is feeling very upset by this. Blendon and Penhill police officers will be visiting her along with her grandson next week for some reassurance and to give her some crime prevention devices to make her feel safer.