Shops in Caerphilly County Borough are being warned against a PayPoint scam which has netted criminals £2,200 in just five days.
Gwent Police is searching for this man in connection with the rent card scam. It is believed the scam could be operating across the UK with others.
In the Gwent Police Force area alone there were five occasions in November when he conned various shops and got away with £2,200 over just five days.
The man typically goes into a shop and asks for his rent card to be topped up with an amount of cash, in the Gwent cases this has often been for £440.
The card is actually a fraud, has been cloned and is linked to a pre-pay Mastercard. Once the operator has topped up, what they believe to be, the rent card at a PayPoint terminal the man goes to pay for the top up on his bank card but it’s declined. He then says he’ll go to a cash machine to get the money but never returns.
The offender is then able to withdraw the cash that has been paid onto the fake rent card.
Anyone who recognises the man, who is described as speaking with an Eastern European accent, or has any information that could help officers is asked to call Gwent Police on 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.