Brit wins £1,600 back from scammers in Tenerife as more victims emerge

British tourist wins more than £1,500 back from Tenerife rogue traders after MailOnline exposé – as more victims lose £25K to ‘sophisticated’ iPad scam

• EXCLUSIVE: Pensioner is reimburshed following MailOnline probe into scammers
• Are you owed money? Email me: [email protected] 

A British pensioner who was scammed by rogue traders in Tenerife has been fully reimbursed following an intervention by MailOnline – as a handful of victims who lost a combined £25,000 come forward to demand compensation. 

Andy Evans, 64, from Doncaster, lost a staggering £1,676 last year after buying what he thought was a £14.50 upgrade for his tablet device in the holiday resort of Los Cristianos. 

After putting in his PIN the shopkeeper and his cronies distracted him while feigning internet problems as they cloned his card, before later charging the extortionate amount. 

Mr Evans was one of several victims to speak out last month after being refused a refund from his bank. Less than a dozen others have since contacted this publication to report being defrauded of up to £5,000 each – totalling more than £24,000 in stolen funds. 

After MailOnline contacted Halifax, they agreed to provide Mr Evans with a full refund plus compensation. Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays are now reassessing multiple other cases after being contacted by this paper. 

Despite this, Spanish police remain silent on the scourge of the scammers, while the local governing body insisted to MailOnline that the south of Tenerife is a safe tourist destination – although it admitted there is a problem. 

Speaking today, Mr Evans said: ‘The funds have now been repaid into my account and it is such a relief, I owe you a drink. 

Andy Evans (pictured), 64, from Doncaster, lost a staggering £1,676 last year after buying what he thought was a £14.50 upgrade for his device. He has now been reimbursed following an intervention by MailOnline

Brits say the scamming business owners are ‘tainting’ the holiday destination of Tenerife (Pictured: Aerial photo of Los Cristianos resort) 

READ MORE: Sun, sea and SCAMMED! The Brits conned for thousands by rogue traders touting laptops and iPads in Tenerife

Jane Harrison, 58, from Bolton, said her elderly parents (pictured) fell prey to the fraudsters back in 2019, leading to a five-month battle to get their money back

‘It makes such a difference when you rely on a pension fund for income and do not get state pension yet.

‘The refund has cleared my credit card account and put it in credit and certainly eased my previous concerns.’

He added: ‘I must thank you wholeheartedly for your pursuit in this disgraceful matter, it is fantastic news… I hope that future attacks can be prevented.’

It comes as more victims have spoken out after reading the plight of others who fell prey to the scam – which has been running on the island for years now. 

ARE YOU STRUGGLING TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK AFTER BEING SCAMMED? Email me: [email protected] 

The con typically works by offering Britons who are on the last day of their holiday a great deal on a laptop, iPad, phone or similar device. 

But when it comes to payment via debit or credit card, the store owners distract the buyers while they either clone their card or charge a far higher fee than agreed. 

John Cadman, 74, blasted Halifax today for failing to reimburse him after he fell for the scam in the resort of Los Americas, just 100 metres from his hotel, in December. 

He told MailOnline that he feels ‘hurt’ by his bank because they ‘just don’t seem that bothered’ by his ordeal, after suggesting it was his own fault for putting in his PIN number. 

Despite numerous attempts to get his money back, he claimed Halifax have only contacted him a handful of times as a ‘courtesy’ to say that they are ‘continuing their investigation.’  

Mr Cadman, from Great Harwood, near Burnley, was buying an iPad for his grandson when he says he was targeted by the scammers on December 23. They insisted he paid with his debit card but he refused as he had the cash in euros. 

However much like the other victims, he was offered a subscription service that would supposedly let him watch British television from anywhere in the world – and it would only cost him £14 per month for two years, after which it would be free. 

John Cadman (pictured), 74, blasted Halifax today for failing to reimburse him after he fell for the scam in Los Americas, just 100 metres from his hotel, in December

John, from Great Harwood, near Burnley, was buying an iPad for his grandson when he says he was targeted by the scammers on December 23 (Pictured: Store where he was allegedly targeted) 

The retired plumber said: ‘I thought it sounded quite good, and they knew exactly what to say, it was really an art form the way they did it. 

‘When I put my PIN in the screen was blank, then they said it hadn’t gone through and asked me to do it again. It was only after I flew back home I realised I had been charged more than £3,000.

‘My bank tried to say it was my responsibility as I had used my PIN number, but I thought I was paying £14, it is not my fault that they robbed me.’ 

Mr Cadman added: ‘This is a lot of money for a pensioner like me and it is so frustrating, I feel like I’m being ignored.

‘They admitted to me that I am not the only customer who has fallen victim to this scam in Tenerife, so they know it is a real issue.’ 

A representative from Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax, said it would look into Mr Cadman’s case. 

Meanwhile the relevant city council in Tenerife – the Ayuntamiento de Arona – told MailOnline today that the responsibility for tackling the scourge falls on the police, adding: ‘The south of Tenerife is a safe tourist destination, but it’s no stranger to these types of incidents. 

‘Nevertheless, it is the Interior Ministry, National Police or Civil Guard that are in charge of following and investigating these crimes.’  

Peter Smith (pictured), 77, told MailOnline today how both he and his wife, 76, were subject to the same ‘elaborate’ scam this past Christmas

Peter (pictured inside store where he claims he was targeted) said he lost £2,967 via an iBarclay visa payment and a further £381 through an ATM payment. Meanwhile his wife saw £1,567 illegally withdrawn from her M&S bank account, meaning the couple lost a combined £4,915

The Civil Guard and National Police have yet to comment on the fraud despite requests for comment. 

Peter Smith, 77, told MailOnline today how both he and his wife, 76, were subject to the same ‘elaborate’ scam this past Christmas. 

He said: ‘It started in Los Cristianos involving the purchase of a tablet. It ended in Costa Adeje where we were scammed and lost thousands.’ 

Peter said he lost £2,967 via an iBarclay visa payment and a further £381 through an ATM payment. 

Meanwhile his wife saw £1,567 illegally withdrawn from her M&S bank account, meaning the couple lost a combined £4,915. 

However while his wife was refunded by her bank, he has been refused the same courtesy from Barclays. 

MailOnline has contacted Barclays for comment. A representative for the bank said it would look into his case. 

Chris Wilkinson (pictured), 74, told MailOnline how he felt ashamed after losing £4,000 back in January 2019

The former production worker, from Accrington, said he felt ashamed to even talk about his ordeal and hasn’t touched the tablet he bought (pictured) from the scammers

Mr Smith said he feels ‘totally embarrassed’ after being taken in by the scammers, but there are likely hundreds of others just like him.

Another victim, Chris Wilkinson, 74, told MailOnline how he also felt the same after losing just under £4,000 back in January 2019. 

He said: ‘It took me two years to try and forget about all this and I have been unable to talk about it to anyone.

‘I cannot understand how the authorities let them get away with this.’ 

Unlike the other victims, Mr Wilkinson said he was told how much he was paying up front but was pressured and intimidated so much that he felt he had no choice but to hand over the money. 

The former production worker, 74, from Accrington, said he felt ashamed to even talk about his ordeal and hasn’t touched the tablet he bought from the scammers. 

‘It’s really affected my mental health,’ he said, ‘I have never seen anything like it, there were around six of them, they were on me like ants. 

‘They did everything but chain me to the desk, I would have preferred to be interrogated as a prisoner than go through what they did to me.’ 

Mr Wilkinson said that when he tried to take the tablet back on his final day the scammers passed him from one guy to another and refused, before driving him straight to the airport. 

‘I felt powerless to do anything,’ he said, ‘and the authorities just don’t seem to care, it’s a disgrace.’ 

MailOnline has contacted Mr Wilkinson’s banking providers for comment.  

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