A GOOD Morning Britain anchor has revealed he’s lost his “whole life savings” to a phone scam.
The ITV host admitted “the shame and stigma of being conned is devastating” as he opened up on his horror fraud ordeal on Wednesday’s episode.
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Good Morning Britain‘s North America reporter Noel Phillips spoke candidly about his troubling situation and admitted his bank had taken no responsibility for $30K, around £22,500, being swiped from his American accounts.
In the States, accountability for cash scams is different, and this means if detectives do not identify the criminals behind the scam, Noel will not get his money back.
Noel, who reports for the UK programme, told how two scammers made a “seemingly harmless phone call” that “turned my life upside down.”
He told how the scammers posed as representatives from Chase bank who told him the accounts had been compromised.
He called the number back, and connected to his bank’s customer service, but it wasn’t genuine.
The scammers then called back and infiltrated his banking app, with Noel getting an alert of a payment he had not made.
He rushed to his local Chase bank branch but was still connected to the scammers on his phone call, and when they told him to make a transaction, he did.
He said: “What I was told was in fact I lie.
“One that was so believable I lost my whole life savings, just under $30K.
“The fraudsters convinced me I needed to transfer my money to separate accounts which they said had my names on it.”
Noel then told how the scammers had told him it was in fact staff at the bank who had compromised his details and said: “They then persuaded me that the staff [at the bank] were responsible for the fraud, so therefore I should avoid informing them of what was happening.”
After the incident, Noel then told how Chase had told him there was “nothing they could do to help recover” the fund stolen.
In an emotional statement he said: “I am having to pay the cost, literally having to pay the cost for that.
Good Morning Britain presenters
Current presenters:
- Susanna Reid (presenters Monday to Wednesday and alternate Thursdays) – 2014 to present
- Kate Garraway (presenters alternate Thursdays and Fridays) – 2014 to present
- Ed Balls (presents on a rotating basis) – 2022 to present
- Adil Ray (presents on Fridays) – 2024 to present
Former presenters:
“This is just unbelievable.”
He added: “The shame and stigma of being conned is devastating.
“My only hope is the detectives investigating my case catch the people that ruined my life.”
He then admitted how the fraud had happened just a fortnight ago.
He informed presenters Kate Garraway and Ed Balls how, just two weeks ago, he was “still in disbelief, lying here on my kitchen floor numb.”
He told how he felt “embarrassed, ashamed and worthless” after being a victim.
The Sun has gone to Chase bank for comment.
DOUBLE BLOW
Noel’s situation comes after we exclusively reported how GMB will make a huge show change to its American coverage amid cash cutbacks.
The switch up means for the first time in the show’s 11-year history, the flagship breakfast show will have no dedicated team across the pond to cover news Stateside.
The outfit fronted by Noel Phillips, who reports out of New York, but GMB will now likely utilise reports from the main ITN news hub instead.
A source dubbed the move “a brazen pivot away from journalism.”
SCREEN CAREER
Award-winning journalist Noel has worked at multiple other outlets before he joined ITV.
He began his career working as a presenter and producer on Newstyle radio before moving to ITV’s This Morning where he was a runner for five months in 2012.
Noel then has some writing jobs at multiple outlets as well as a public relations gig.
The journalist then moved to the BBC where he took on multiple job roles such as being a news reporter, broadcast journalist and producer.
After more than three years at the BBC, Noel became a news correspondent at Sky News.
He worked in that position for almost two years before going to ITV where he for the job he has now as North America correspondent.
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