BBC News legend left 'embarrassed and angry' after falling victim to sick scam
Moira Stewart revealed her shocking experience as a victim of a phone scam, admitting she never expected to be deceived despite her keen instincts.
Moira Stuart opened up about a troubling incident that almost ruined her life.
Appearing on an episode of Lorraine this week, the veteran BBC News presenter revealed her shocking encounter with phone scammers, admitting she never expected to fall for it.
“I was arrogant enough to think I could check whether something was supposedly genuine and I thought, ‘gosh, it never struck me it would come by phone,’” she told Lorraine.
The scammers posed as her bank, claiming someone from her local branch had stolen her money. To catch the thief, they instructed her to visit a different branch and transfer £6,000, promising they would "intercept" the transaction. Moira explained that the fraudsters even reassured her, saying they would guide her through any interactions with the bank staff.
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Moira explained that she didn’t question it since she was “ex-directory.”
It wasn’t until she arrived at the branch that "the penny dropped," she admitted. Thankfully, a young bank clerk noticed something was wrong. They realised the situation and helped Moira "escape" before she could transfer any money.
The Classic FM host emphasised the importance of not taking things at face value, regardless of how convincing they may appear.
Opening up about the bank scam in a recent interview, Moira shared her feelings of devastation and embarrassment, along with a sense of anger towards herself. She reflected on how her strong sense of independence contributed to her feelings of disappointment.
She told The Times: “If you’re very independent, as I am, it feels like you have let yourself down, your family, everyone who knows you. This feeling, this intrusion, it doesn’t leave you.”
Moira Stuart is a pioneering journalist who made history as the first female newsreader of Caribbean heritage to appear on British national television.
She has been a prominent figure at BBC News since 1981, where she has covered significant events, including major political developments and breaking news stories.
Alongside her television work, Moira joined Classic FM in 2019 as a morning news presenter. From July 2019, she also hosted her own Saturday show as a weekend presenter.
