Police warning over supermarket car park scammers

August 30 2019
Police warning over supermarket car park scammers

POLICE are warning shoppers to be vigilant after scammers stole a woman's bank card in a supermarket car park.

The victim had just visited Morrisons in Fishponds on August 21 when a man approached her and asked her for directions to Southmead Hospital as she was loading her shopping into her car.

An Avon and Somerset police spokesperson said the man then asked her to write the directions down and while she was distracted, someone else went in to her car and stole her bank card, which she noticed was missing when she got in to the vehicle.

The card was later used fraudulently and it is believed the criminals had watched the woman as she used it earlier, to find out her PIN.

The police spokesperson said the victim had seen the man who approached her with another man, pushing around a shopping trolley in the car park, before he approached her.

He added: "We would advise people to remain vigilant while out and about shopping and using their bank cards – they should not allow anyone to see the PIN which is being used to pay for goods or withdraw cash, and never leave their bag or bank card unattended."

Anyone who has information or thinks they may have been the victim of a similar scam should call the police on 101 and quote the crime reference number 5219 192 257.