A PEEBLES man gave his bank account details to fraudsters who then tried to con two OAPs out of their savings, a court has been told.

Isaiah Symonds, 24, pleaded guilty to forming part of a fraudulent scheme which resulted in persons unknown phoning the elderly women urging them to change their bank account as they had noted suspicious activity.

Selkirk Sheriff Court heard the first customer from the Borders was 83 and was suspicious of the call in November 2012 and declined to give details of her account and passwords when called in November 2012.

But when the OAP was asked to phone Santander Bank back, the caller kept the line open and convinced her she was a genuine bank employee.

The customer phoned the bank later in the day and was told no-one from the bank had been in contact with her.

The attempt to take £2,276.84 out of her account and put it into Symonds account was thwarted.

A similar scam was made days later involving a 66-year-old woman and the Bank of Scotland, with £380 taken from the account.

The Bank of Scotland noted Symonds’ account details had been used with the previous fraud attempt and police were informed.

A not guilty plea to attempting to defraud the Royal Bank of Scotland of £29,999.99 was accepted by the Crown.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow claimed his client had displayed “wilful blindness” in providing his bank account details to a man he had been introduced to by a friend in return for the promise of being paid money.

He said: “He did not ask any questions and is terribly sorry.”

Symonds of Kittlegairy Road, Peebles, was fined £400 and ordered to pay £380 compensation to the Bank of Scotland.