Scams rife in area

SCAMS are becoming more common in Upper Annandale, according to police.

Moffat’s new community officer PC Lee Barnfather, right, gave a presentation at Tuesday’s meeting of Moffat and District Community Council, warning residents about the prevalence of scams in the area but also online.

He said: “The way things are developing, and even from my own perspective with the online situation, it is very, very difficult to tell what’s real and what’s a scam.

“They come in all kinds of formats online, email, over the phone, impersonation scams, romance scams, as well as in-person scams, which has been an issue in Moffat in the past with the demographic of the population, but online is coming more to the forefront.

“Unfortunately over the last few years I’ve found that romance scams, and more specifically sextortion, has come to the fore, where individuals are producing intimate images of themselves online and then they are being threatened and extorted for money.

“I would say we’re getting calls about this sort of scam every couple of weeks and certainly locally, it is more likely to be the youth who are targeted as they’re online more and can access things they shouldn’t be through social media and are being threatened to those images exposed.”

He added: “The romance scams crop up on dating sites and apps, I have sat in houses in this area where I’ve had to explain to someone that they’re being scammed, that they’re sending money to an individual and have remortgaged their house because of that. And I have left houses being aware that they don’t believe me and will still send money to that person.”

Currently the prosecution of scammers is ‘highly unlikely’ as many operate from overseas, but those who are technologically literate are still at risk.

PC Barnfather continued: “I

know myself that dealing with a scam can take months and go through various countries, so that’s why we’re here to prevent it rather than after the fact, because prosecution is nigh on impossible.

“The biggest concern for us is scammers are targeting all aspects of society, not just the vulnerable, and I understand that there’s a mixed demographic in Moffat, but the youth side of things is ridiculous.

“A lot of the prevention of being victim to a scam is common-sense.

The key thing is not pass any personal information at all to any individuals that approach you online or insecure websites.”