Pay attention at the back because you are going to love this story. Regular correspondent Hitendra Patel (Costcutter, Romford) rang again with an uplifting tale of how he conned a con artist.

A man walked into the store and asked Hitendra’s wife for a twenty quid 02 voucher. “He had his phone in his hand,” says Hitendra, “and I was nearby and clearly heard him ask for an 02 voucher. But when he got near the exit he said ‘no, this is wrong - I asked for a ‘Me to You’ voucher. I’d never heard of it so I said I can’t do anything until I check. He said ‘Sort it out I’ll be back in 10 minutes’.”

His wife tried to ring PayPoint to check, but couldn’t get through. Meanwhile, Hitendra rang 3R (he does not have a 3R terminal but the boss of the company is a friend). What he learned was very interesting.

3R told him to put the voucher into an unlocked phone - “and they said you will then get the use of the money. So I went next door, switched the SIM and put the £20 on my own phone.”

Meanwhile the ‘customer’ had returned for his £20 back, but was sent away again pending a response from the supplier.

The guy had obviously scanned the voucher or photographed it, adds Hitendra, but didn’t use it because he was waiting until he got his money back first (otherwise the Patels could tell him that they had checked with 02 and the voucher had been used).

Hitendra kept the money aside for a week or so, in case the guy comes back, but so far, he is £20 better off.

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