BBC presenter scammed out of almost half of his life savings

 

BBC Look North presenter Peter Levy has spoken out about being scammed out of almost half of his life savings, but has since managed to recover the stolen money. The 68-year-old fell victim to a sophisticated phone scam in February, in which a fraudster posed as a representative from his bank and tricked him into revealing sensitive information.

Levy described feeling "ashamed and embarrassed" for trusting the caller, but emphasized that scammers are "great actors" who can easily deceive even the most cautious individuals. He recounted the experience on BBC Radio Humberside and BBC Radio Lincolnshire, warning listeners to be vigilant and never trust unsolicited calls.

The scam began with a call from someone claiming to be from Levy's bank, asking about suspicious activity on his account. The fraudster then asked Levy to log into his account to perform "security checks," which ultimately led to the theft of a significant amount of money.

However, Levy was able to recover the stolen funds after promptly contacting his bank and reporting the incident. He praised the bank's helpfulness and expertise in dealing with such situations.

Levy's experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of being cautious when receiving unsolicited calls or requests for personal information. He advises people to always be wary and never trust someone they don't know, emphasizing the importance of verifying the identity of callers and not feeling pressured to act quickly.

The Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign offers similar advice, urging people to stop and think before parting with money or information, challenge potentially fake requests, and protect themselves by contacting their bank and reporting suspicious activity.

By sharing his experience, Levy hopes to raise awareness and prevent others from falling victim to similar scams. His story highlights the importance of vigilance and skepticism in the face of unsolicited requests, and serves as a reminder that even the most cautious individuals can fall victim to sophisticated scams.