Alex Cooper

Some scammers are out of their depth. I refer to a phone call I got the other day.

A young lady with an exotic accent informed me that my bank owed me £4242 and that someone was going to come to my door in the next hour and a half to deliver the cheque. This was courtesy of the Office of Fair Trading.

This person's name was Alex Cooper and he would require to see my passport.

I thought I'd have a bit of fun so I did not immediately put the phone down.

"Really? That's very nice," I said.

The young lady passed me to her equally exotic manager.

"There are some formalities to be gone through," he said.

I would have to pay "taxes."

"But why should the government give me money with one hand and take it away with the other?" I said.

There was a stunned silence.

I put the phone down.

I was not honoured with a visit from Alex Cooper.