| Our Trading Standards team has been made aware of recent reports from local residents who have experienced a “courier fraud” telephone scam.
Callers often claim to be a ‘police officer’ or ‘bank employee’, who is investigating alleged fraudulent activity by someone using the resident’s local bank or their bank account.
The caller then requests the resident’s help by attempting to persuade them into withdrawing a large amount of cash from their account, which they will arrange to be collected, along with any bank cards, from the resident’s home.
The caller will often be very convincing and ask for personal details and PIN. The caller may even instruct the resident not to tell anyone else about the call as it is an undercover investigation.
The caller promises the resident that all money and bank cards will be returned to them.
Our Trading Standards team is reminding residents that police officers or your bank will never:
- phone and ask you for your PIN or full banking password
- ask you to withdraw cash to hand over to them for safe-keeping or help them with an investigation
- ask you to transfer money out of your account
- send someone to your home to collect money, PINs, bank cards, or items you have been asked to purchase
If you have any doubts about a telephone call you might receive, do not be afraid to end the call by simply hanging up.
If you receive a telephone call that you suspect may be a scam, please report it to us by calling 0808 223 1133.
Please help prevent others from falling victim to this type of scam by letting your family, friends and neighbours know about this alert. |
