BUSINESSMAN and Salisbury magistrate, Paul Sample, is warning people to shred their personal documents and credit card details after he fell victim to credit card fraudsters who have siphoned off more than £12,000 from his accounts.

Mr Sample has been left "shocked, stunned and upset" after finding someone had used his personal details to steal cash from both his personal and business accounts, putting the money into new ones opened at banks across north London.

Mr Sample, who runs Mustard Design and Print, a graphic design and advertising business based in Wilton, found something was wrong last Thursday when he received a phone call from the fraud department of his credit card company.

They were checking if he had authorised £4,500 being withdrawn from a personal account.

Mr Sample told the Journal: "I couldn't sleep that night with worry, so early the next morning I went into town and using my card checked my accounts.

"I found my personal account was nearly £5,000 short and then checked my business accounts to find that £8,100 had been withdrawn.

"When my bank opened, I went in and they found that around four or five transactions had been made over several days removing about £2,000 or so each time."

Mr Sample, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Salisbury district council and a former mayor, said the thieves had set up new accounts at banks including Hornchurch, Greenwich, Epping and other banks in north London.

He said: "It blew me away. The accounts were old ones I seldom use now, but they were still active.

"I don't know how they did it. My accounts go to my accountant every year. Perhaps someone sifted through rubbish bags or used another way to get hold of my details. Somehow they managed to get details of my old credit card and used it to switch money from my accounts to new ones they opened.

"The first thing I did was to buy myself a shredder. It made me realise how important it is not to reveal your PIN number or password to anyone and I urge everyone to shred their personal documents as soon as they have finished with them.

"Be suspicious. You wouldn't leave your car keys in your car because someone would steal it. Treat your PIN and passwords in the same way. Keep them to yourself and keep them safe.

"This left me shocked and stunned but I am a businessman with some savings. Think what it would do to some living on the bread line with no savings. It is too shocking to contemplate."

Mr Sample said his bank is being supportive and he hopes that all the money illegally removed from his accounts will be replaced but he said the whole experience had been very upsetting.