British police on Friday launched a call for witnesses to find a man accused of extracting 160 pounds (178 euros) from a nonagenarian by making her believe he was administering a vaccine against the coronavirus.
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The 92-year-old victim, living in Surbiton, south-west London, opened his door on December 30 to a con artist, who posed as a member of the public health service, the NHS.
She claimed the man stung her arm before asking her for 160 pounds, certifying that she would be reimbursed by the NHS, police said in a statement.
The country most bereaved by the pandemic with more than 78,000 deaths, the United Kingdom began a month ago its vaccination campaign among the elderly.
It is not known if any substance was administered to the victim and if so which one, but hospital examinations did not detect anything abnormal.
“It is crucial to catch it as soon as possible because it not only scams people but it can also put their lives at risk,” Inspector Kevin Ives said.
The images accompanying the call for witnesses show the suspect, wearing a navy blue tracksuit with white stripes on the side, taken during a second visit to the victim, from whom he asked for an additional 100 pounds (110 euros).
Police in Northern Ireland have alerted to phishing attempts, via text messages sent by scammers telling recipients they are eligible for vaccination in order to steal their bank details.