Lowestoft carers thanked for spotting scam on 101-year-old

Suffolk Trading Standards awarded Sally Mills and her boss Paul Watts in recognition of their intervention

Two carers have been thanked for their efforts after they discovered a 101-year-old woman was being scammed.

Sally Mills said she "smelt a rat" when the woman from Lowestoft asked her to post a letter that contained cash.

She raised the alarm and a subsequent investigation established the woman had been scammed into sending more than £48,000.

Suffolk Trading Standards awarded Ms Mills and her boss Paul Watts in recognition of their intervention.

Ms Mills said she was caring for the woman, who turned 103 last week, when she was handed some post to send.

• BBC Sounds: Lowestoft carers spot £48k scam on 101-year-old

She said as she put the woman's mail on the passenger seat of her car, money fell out of a pre-printed envelope for an address in Austria.

Ms Mills, who has been a community support worker for two years, said she was quite sure the victim did not know the person the money was being sent to and was "highly suspicious" that cash was being sent.

She reported the matter to Mr Watts, director of Caring Moments Limited, who then contacted Suffolk Trading Standards.

Mr Watts had attended training that Trading Standards had given and he spotted that the victim was sending money to clairvoyant scammers.

'Cruellest thing'

Trading Standards said it worked with the team at Caring Moments to put support and prevention in place to prevent the victim sending any further money, and Ms Mills and Mr Watts helped provide statements for an international investigation.

Ms Mills said for the scammers to prey on the woman was the "cruellest thing".

She said she was so "glad and relieved" she was able to help the woman.

Suffolk Trading Standards presented Ms Mills and Mr Watts with flowers and "Suffolk Says Thanks" badges for their intervention.

It said the team also nominated them for a certificate of merit at the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Awards, which they will collect at a ceremony on 27 September.