THE victim of a suspected international card fraud has warned others to be on their guard after losing money she had set aside for her granddaughter’s birthday.

Sandra Holden, of Weymouth, was contacted by Abbey building society last week informing her that someone had tried accessing her savings from Las Vegas.

Days later, Sandra, 47, discovered that £250 had gone missing from another account she has with Nationwide. The money had been set aside to pay for an eighth birthday party for her granddaughter Megan Baker.

Sales assistant Sandra, who works at Iceland in Weymouth, believes the details of both her accounts may have been ‘skimmed’ at a Weymouth cashpoint, adding that news of the theft left her shaking and crying.

She said: “I had a call out of the blue from Abbey’s fraud department, checking to see if I had gone overseas or not.

“They said there had been a £20 transaction on my account and that someone had tried to access more than that.”

Days later, Sandra checked her Nationwide account to find around £250 missing – money she had set aside to pay for her granddaughter’s birthday party.

She was informed that an investigation is now underway.

Sandra said: “I was absolutely gutted, shaking and crying. Whoever did this wiped out all the money I had in that account and it still makes me very emotional, because of what that money was for.

“I’ve just got to hope the rest of the family can step in to help sort it out.”

She added: “It’s just horrible.

“You think your money’s safe in a bank or building society but it’s not.

“I think everybody should be aware and they need to look out when they’re using cashpoints.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “In such cases financial institutions commence an investigation and then, where they deem it to be appropriate they liaise with the relevant police force.”

Anyone with information should contact Dorset Police on 01305 222222.