An audacious scammer posing as a tradesman has stolen £2,000 from a London restaurant using a sophisticated card-switching trick. The incident occurred at a fine dining establishment in central London, where the suspect targeted staff during a busy service.
CCTV footage shows the man ordering a meal and insisting on handling the card machine himself. He then swapped his own card with a stolen one, altering the transaction amount from £25 to £2,000 before demanding a refund. The refund was processed onto his own card, allowing him to pocket the cash.
Restaurant owner James Whitfield told reporters: 'He was extremely convincing, even pretending to speak to his wife on the phone to seem legitimate. We only realised we'd been scammed when the bank called two hours later.'
Police have warned other businesses to be vigilant. Detective Sergeant Sarah Collins said: 'This is a new type of fraud we haven't seen before in London. We urge anyone with information to contact us.'
The restaurant has since implemented a policy of not processing refunds over £20 without manager approval. The suspect remains at large.
