£80k stolen by fraudsters posing as police

Fraudsters posing as police officers and company officials have been contacting residents in Hertfordshire in recent weeks.

Since the beginning of October fraudsters have managed to scam victims out of more than £80,000, by posing as police officers and asking them to hand over their bank cards or cash to couriers.

• A Harpenden resident handed over £40,000 to a courier after a call from a ‘police officer’.
• Another resident in Harpenden lost more £45,000 after receiving a call from someone claiming to be from John Lewis’ credit card team.
• Two Hemel Hempstead residents lost £10,000 and £5,000 respectively after receiving calls from bogus police officers.
• A Watford resident lost £4,700 after a ‘police officer’ called saying they needed to check serial numbers on bank notes.
• Another Watford resident lost £1,870 after a call from a ‘police officer’ asking for banks cards to be handed over to a courier.
• Residents from Kings Langley and St Albans were also contacted but reported no losses.

Detective Inspector Katy Jackson, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Serious Fraud and Cyber Unit, said: “These kinds of scams usually involve the victim receiving a telephone call, either from a mobile or a landline number, with someone posing as a police officer or bank official and informing them of fraudulent activity on their account. The victims are then instructed to withdraw cash, purchase high value items or place their bank cards and PINs in an envelope. These might then be collected by legitimate couriers or taxis which have been arranged by the fraudsters or by the fraudsters themselves pretending to be couriers. The bank cards are later used by the fraudsters to purchase high value items or withdraw cash.

“Usually, the intended victim realises the call is not genuine and refuses to part with their personal and bank details. However, these fraudsters can be very persuasive and insistent, which has resulted in some people falling victim to this scam and subsequently losing thousands of pounds.”

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 for your bank account details or PIN number over the phone, so do not disclose these to anyone, no matter who they claim to be.
• NEVER ask you to withdraw money or purchase high value items and send it to them via a courier, taxi 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 are not happy with a phone call and are suspicious of the conversation you have with the caller, then please end the call and dial 101 or report online herts.police.uk/report. In an emergency or if a crime is in progress call 999 immediately.

Remember, scammers can hold the telephone line open and often advise you to call 999 to give you a false sense of security.  

• If you receive a suspicious call, avoid redialling any number they provide.
• Always try to use a different device when making a follow up call.
• Call a trusted friend/family member. If they answer and you recognise their voice, the line has been cleared.

If you have concerns about your bank account, visit your local branch.

How to protect yourself:

Remember to follow the above advice. In addition to this, some phone companies offer call screening services that can be effective in blocking marketing cold calls and bogus callers. Contact your phone company and ask about call screening and caller display services.

How can you help?

• Please share this information with your older relatives and friends: this crime has a devastating effect on people and we need to raise awareness to prevent further people becoming victims.
• Report any calls you believe are suspicious as we may be able to trace where the calls are originating from. Please remember, to wait at least five minutes before calling police or use a mobile or neighbour’s phone.
• Report suspicious activity at cash points. If you see someone spending a long time at a cashpoint, using a number of different cards and have a hood up or their faces covered, contact police immediately. Often offenders will use cashpoints in the early hours.

If you believe that you are a victim of fraud or cybercrime please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to report. If a crime is in progress or someone’s life is in danger, call 999 immediately.