A 90-year-old man in Cumbria was tricked into handing over money by fraudsters posing as officials, prompting police warnings about escalating phone scams targeting vulnerable adults.

A 90-year-old man in Cumbria was deceived into driving across the county to hand over money to scammers, prompting Cumbria Police to warn the public about ongoing phone fraud targeting vulnerable adults. Fraudsters are using landlines to impersonate banks, police, or HMRC, pressuring victims to share account details, transfer funds, withdraw cash for a “courier,” or buy high-value items. Authorities stress that legitimate organizations never ask for PINs, full account details, or money “for safekeeping,” nor send couriers to collect cash. They urge people to hang up if unsure, wait five minutes before calling back using verified numbers, and check in on elderly or isolated individuals. Victims or those who suspect fraud should report it to police via 101 or 999 in emergencies.