IT IS always the vulnerable people that criminals target first.

The elderly or disabled, or those who look kind and friendly.

And that’s what happened to the victim on our front page this week, whose good nature was taken advantage of in a horrifying act that has left her struggling to trust people.

Police have warned that these scammers, who work in pairs to steal credit cards, are targeting older women, particularly in supermarket car parks.

This woman watched almost £4,000 slip through her fingers in less than a day. That could be months of a pension, representing hours and hours of work.

Although the plucky pensioner said she would have punched the woman who scammed her on the nose had she known what was happening, the reality is that you do not know that these professional con artists have struck until after the event.

Police warned the 77-year-old that the only way to completely avoid another incident would be to “not help anyone”.

But the truth is the opposite. Scammers, ruthless as they are, won’t be stopped by people pushing their shopping trollies along with their heads down, hoping to avoid contact with anyone.

They will be stopped by co-operation, collaboration and people looking out for one another.

So if you see anything suspicious, don’t just walk past – step in and stop a potential crime.