TELEPHONE SCAM WARNING! Police in Bridgend are warning members of the public about a scam which is being attempted in the area. The warning follows a number of reports concerning fraudsters who have made telephone calls to try to trick possible victims into handing over cash, bank cards and PIN number to a courier on the doorstep or to provide bank details over the phone. Bridgend police have received several reports of local residents who have received unsolicited telephone calls from fraudsters purporting to be from the police. The fraudster has been phoning members of the public, claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police and stating they are investigating a crime involving the person’s bank card or account. Victims have been asked to ring the bank back using the phone number printed on the back of their bank card or to ring their local police station. This helps to convince the person that the call is genuine. However, the fraudster has not ended the call they have simply pressed the mute button to give the impression the call has ended. In reality they have kept the telephone line open so even though the victim has dialled the number for the bank or police, the call does not go through. Instead they are unknowingly connected straight back to the fraudster. The fraudster then gains the person’s trust by pretending to be from the bank and seeming to offer assistance or to be from the local police station and re-assuring the victim that the call is genuine. In many cases the person is asked to provide their full bank card details and key in their PIN so that their existing card can be “cancelled” and their new one activated or authorised. The fraudster then explains that the bank or police will need to collect the card and also has provided instructions for the victims to withdraw a quantity of cash which will also be collected by the courier as it forms part of the police investigation. They are advised that this money will be reimbursed. On one occasion £8,000 has been handed over. The fraudsters then attend the person’s address or send a genuine courier company driver to collect the card and cash. Detective constable Rebecca Merchant from Bridgend CID said: “Anyone receiving such a call should hang up immediately. If you want to call your bank, then do it from another telephone. “You should dial 1471 to establish if a phone number can be identified, although often the number is withheld. “If you have handed any details to the fraudster, call your bank and cancel your cards immediately.” DC Merchant added: “You should be aware that your bank will never send a courier to your home nor will your bank or the police ever collect your bank card or ask for your PIN.” Anyone who receives a call of this nature should contact the police - in an emergency dial 999. In a non-emergency please contact your local police by dialling 101 as well as reporting the matter to your bank.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:40:30 +0000
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