People are being warned to be on their guard over scam phone calls.
Fraudsters pretend to be officials such as police officers, HMRC officials or bank fraud teams.
The scam differs slightly from call to call but the fraudsters often request bank details, money to be sent electronically, cash to be withdrawn at the bank for collection or expensive items to be bought for collection at a later time.
Police and other agencies would never request this.
If you have any concern that the person on the phone may be a scammer, put the phone down and call the police from a different phone on 101 for advice and guidance.
Officers are asking anyone who has been victim to such a scam to come forward.
If you receive a call you’re not expecting, you should be suspicious. The vital things to remember are that your bank and the police would:
- Never ask you for your bank account details or PIN number over the phone.
- Never ask you to withdraw money and send it to them via a courier, taxi, bank transfer or by any other means.
- Never ask you to send your bank cards or any other personal property to them via courier, taxi or by any other means.
- If you have any doubts about the identity of the person that you are speaking with, please put the phone down and attend the bank or police station in person, wherever possible, to discuss the call you have received, or call a trusted number for the bank or police using a different telephone than the one that you have been contacted on.
People are asked to share this information with any vulnerable friends or family.
If you think you have been the victim of a fraud you can report this to police on 101 and to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 – or by visiting its website at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
