Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 4 February 2023

A WARNING has been issued to Nuneaton businesses after a male scammer has been using a new distraction technique involving a £20 note.

The Nuneaton and Bedworth Neighbourhood Watch group posted about the new scam on their Facebook page last Tuesday (31 January), explaining how it works.

How it works

The scammer will attempt to buy a cheap item with a £20 note, but he will then be quick to change his mind, and provide the exact amount, to get the note back.

When the note is being returned, he will cause a distraction – with a common one being him scattering all of his coins across the floor – in hopes that he will confuse a member of staff.

Once he has collected all of the loose coins back up of the floor, he will ask for the banknote yet again, in hopes that the staff member has forgotten he was already handed one.

“Fortunately, the scam is not very sophisticated”, said a spokesperson for the Neighbourhood Watch Group. They further warned: “It could work if the staff are under pressure at busy times”.

Scammer description – who to look out for

A description has been issued of the scammer, so local businesses have an idea to look out for.

He has been described as around 5 foot 10 inches, with dark hair and a Birmingham accent.

He is known to have tried the scam in at least two places in Nuneaton last week.