27 May 2024 , 07:23
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Meet the woman who 'pranks' scammers - in a bid to raise awareness so other Brits don't get conned.
Sharon Forbes, 69, first started recording herself turning the tables on telephone scammers 15 years ago. Since then she has made hundreds of videos showcasing quick wit - which she then uploads to social media. Her latest video is currently at 1.1 million views on TikTok.
Sharon, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, says the videos are supposed to be fun, but with a more serious side. She said: "If people watch my videos, they'll know how to handle these calls better. They don't need to panic, they can just put phone down. I get lots of positive comments from people telling me what a great job I'm doing for spreading awareness.
"But we need more to be done by the government- we need more ways of getting the information out there to stop people falling for scams." Sharon says she started pranking scam calls 15 years ago. And she added: "I started videoing them for my amusement really, and to turn the tables on them.
"The calls then started to get more and more frequent - I would get two to three a day with them pretending to be from different companies. I eventually got a blocker put on, but I missed the fun of pranking them, so had it taken off again! The first scam I ever had, they were asking me about windows on the computer, so I said can you sell me some curtains for the windows then!
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"I don't know where the comedy comes from either. I just see how the situation plays out and then I see what comes to me in the moment." Sharon can be found on TikTok @blondemzungu.