80-year-old woman unable to buy food for three weeks after account hacked

80-year-old woman unable to buy food for three weeks after account hacked She was left unable to use her card to shop, and unable to withdraw cash An elderly woman living in an area with no banks couldn’t pay for food after her card was hacked and blocked. It took almost three weeks for Bridget Fowkes, from New Romney, in Kent, to receive a replacement - and she had no other way to make payments. She could not withdraw cash from the local Post Office using a cheque because her bank, Lloyds, no longer allows this. Miss Fowkes, who is in her 80s and suffers from arthritis, said: “I couldn't buy food because I couldn’t access my money. This shows a wider problem of a lack of banking provision.” A relative ended up paying for her groceries until the replacement debit card finally arrived. Miss Fowkes first realised she had been scammed on July 27 when she received a warning text from Lloyds. Although the card was still in her possession, its details had been compromised. She believes they were obtained from a legitimate business she had previously used. The crooks tried to use her card to pay a taxi firm and a fast-food company but the bank blocked it in time - and Miss Fowkes credits the Lloyds fraud team for its alertness and swift action. Miss Fowkes explained that while her card was out of use, there was a delay in sending the new one, which took almost three weeks to arrive. Lloyds declined to comment on Miss Fowkes' specific case. It is understood that she had one more chance to draw £200 cash on July 29 from an older card before it was due to expire. She could get no more cash in the following weeks. The last remaining bank on Romney Marsh closed four years ago. Miss Fowkes has written a letter of complaint to Lloyds about the delayed card and inability to withdraw money by other means. She said: “I couldn't get any money. Banks here have closed their branches down. We’ve got nothing for miles.” The nearest Lloyds branches are in Folkestone and Ashford. “I think they’re relying too much on technology,” Miss Fowkes added. “I wrote to the chief executive of my bank and suggested that he and his fellow directors should be sent to somewhere in a rural spot where there are no banks or building societies. “They’d not be allowed a card and would be given £20 cash each to see how they cope.”