‘Fake bank app allowed scammers to shake my hand and steal from me’

A man who lost £ 1,000 in Tots after being scammed by a false bank application has said he makes you “lose faith in humanity.”

Applications mimic legitimate mobile banking platforms and allow scammers false bank transfers in person, to show the seller a message of “successful payment” and then move away, leaving the vendors thousands of pounds out of their pocket.

Dr. Tim Day, leader in Doornstep Crime and Scams for the Chartered Commercial Standards Institute (CTSI), described applications as an “emerging threat.” He added: “Nature in person of this scam is unusual.”

The victim Anthony Rudd said: “I found it absolutely disgusting that you could look at someone in the eye, strengthen her hand and then steal them.”

Some 500 reports of crimes that involve false banking applications in action fraud have been made in the last three years.

Some of these applications were available on Google Play Store in the past, but were eliminated. Google said that “user safety is our top priority.”

Now, BBC West investigations have found versions of the applications available elsewhere online that can be downloaded directly to Android phones without the use of an official app store.

The MR Rudd mechanic was selling more than 1,000 in electric tools on a social media platform when he received a message from a profile called Liam Wright.

When “Wright” said he was interested in seeing them, Rudd invited him to come to his workshop in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

After the man arrived, he reviewed the tools, sacrificed a bank transfer and opened what seemed to be a bank application.

“He gave me his phone and I write the details of my account, I click on Send, and came up with a successful payment notification,” Rudd said.

“It seemed absolutely genuine.”

While Mr. Rudd was waiting for money to appear on his bank account, Hey turned his back to collect accessories to deliver as part of the sale.

The scammer took this opportunity to leave with all the tools, but the money never reached the bank account of Mr. Rudd.

“He has entered my workplace and made my tools,” Rudd said.

“I am so angry that someone could be so shameless, but it is also shameful that it has allowed this to happen.”

Rudd resigned from his work because he said that the scam had “a great impact” on his mental health.

“You lose faith in humanity, that someone could be so low,” he said.

Wiltshire police told Mr. Rudd that he will not take more measures, since he has not been able to idealify since the February 11 incident.

It was a similar story for John Reddock, from Liverpool.

He was selling a gold bracelet with the hope of being able to use money to take his two children on vacation to Spain.

He also used a social media platform to announce the article, which he listed for £ 2,000.

“I was trying to do something good for my children and it was late,” said Reddock.

Two men arrived at their home to see the bracelet and decided that they were happy to move forward with the purchase, offering a bank transfer.

Reddock told them the details of his bank account and one of them wrote it in what seemed to be a bank application on his phone.

Then he showed a successful payment notification.

They last with the bracelet, but Mr. Reddock never received the money.

“They are nightmares and insomnia nights. I am disgusted by what they have done to me,” he said.

“It has angry me a lot because I was trying to do something good for my children, and they come to my property to steal.”

Reddock reported the incident to the police, but no additional action was tasks.

BBC West investigations found that false banking applications, which we are not naming not to promote them, are available to download on an Android phone directly from the Internet.

Dr. Day said: “Much of the fraud is happening online that it is easy to drop our guards when it comes to people in person.

“It gives us a false sense of security, but it is likely that fraud and scams occur in this space.”

Dr. Day said it also shows how scams are becoming “more complex and sophisticated.”

“The amount of money that is available as a result of fraud is so large and the relative levels of application possible mean that it is a type of crime that attracts more and more professional criminals,” he added.

He said that technological companies must be “more compromised” to drive fraud on online platforms.

The United Kingdom Finance repeats more than 300 companies in the bank and financial industry of the United Kingdom. A spokesman said that the scam of the false bank application is “a concern” and gave the following security tips:

• Do not be pressed for the payment of acceptance by bank transfer
• Never deliver well on goods unless you are sure you have received the money and verify your own bank account to see if the payment has arrived
• Check if the buyer has a newly registered profile before knowing them, since this can mean that they are not to those who are, they are, they are, they are are large are large

More information about how to stay safe from scams Can be found here.

But this is or little comfort for Sebastian Liberek, who directs the repairs of his business in Gloucester.

Sale and repair phones, tablets and computers and has a bone directed by scammers, which entered directly to their store, using false banking applications three times in recent months.

He said he has lost hundreds of pounds for a bank transfer counterfeit by a client.

“It makes you feel angry and vulnerable,” Liberek said.

“When you have spent 15 years building a business and someone can turn it off and take away pieces without consequences.”

Liberek has installed additional security measures such as CCTV to protect your future attempt business.

“The fact that it has happened three times will probably happen for the fourth time,” he said.

“There is nowhere to go, you can’t find them, you can inform them to the police, but Chans of all that is done is quite intelligent.

“It is a situation without response or completion.”

A government spokesman said they took “ambitious steps to address the threat of fraud.”

“In the coming months, we will establish more details, including plans to strengthen international cooperation, the introduction of better protections against enabled fraud for AI and increase collaboration between the government and the private sector,” they added.