People in Andover are being urged to warn their elderly relatives about phone calls from fake police officers.
In the last week Hampshire Constabulary have received reports that three people in their 80s have given a total of £25,000 to fraudsters.
They all received a telephone call from someone pretending to be from the police. The fake officer said that they were investigating fraudulent transactions in the victim’s bank account.
The victims were asked to withdraw cash from their bank and check the serial numbers. They were then advised that some of the money was counterfeit and a courier was sent to collect it.
Police are concerned there may be other victims around the county, who are unaware they have been the victim of a fraud, they say, “We would never request anyone to withdraw or hand over money. If anyone receives such a call, they should contact us on 101.”
Advice on courier frauds
This type of fraud starts with a telephone call from someone pretending to be from the police or your bank. The fraudster will claim there is an issue with your card or bank account and get you to reveal personal information, including your PIN number. Once they have your information, a courier will be sent to collect the card, which they can then use to withdraw money from your account.
There are many other variations on this including being told you have an outstanding tax bill or loan you need to pay off to avoid being arrested. Fraudsters may also ask you to buy a high value item to help identify counterfeit goods or to withdraw a large amount of money to catch a corrupt member of staff at the bank or Post Office.
Remember you should:
• never tell anyone your PIN number
• never give personal information or bank account details to anyone over the phone
• never hand over your card, money or valuables to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere
If someone comes to your door claiming to be a police officer, always ask to see their identification. Close the door and call 101 to check they are genuine, a real police officer will not mind waiting whilst you check.
https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/protecting-yourself-and-others/fraud-and-identity-theft/.
