Warning over bogus police scam

Elderly residents in Devon and Cornwall are being urged to be wise to a phone fraud where victims are being duped out of cash by people posing as police officers.

The offenders are targeting older people across the region, particularly in the Torbay and South Devon area, as part of a national scam which is commonly known as a ‘courier fraud’.

In many cases a person claiming to be a police officer from the Metropolitan Police will contact an elderly or vulnerable victim by telephone and inform them that their bank card has been used fraudulently.

The name DC Adams from Hammersmith police station is commonly given. The victim will then be tricked into thinking they are being put through to their bank. The victim will then disclose banking information and will be instructed to attend the local branch of their bank to withdraw a sum of money and pass it to either a local taxi firm or to a courier sent by fraudsters.

Often elderly victims are unwittingly defrauded of their entire life savings, and are left distraught and traumatised.

Detectives are working with local banks/buildings societies and taxi firms as part of the investigation into the fraud and are urging anyone else who may have been a victim to come forward.

They are also warning the public, particularly older residents, not to go along with the scam and to report any attempts to police.

If you receive a phone call of this nature, police advise you to:

End the phone call immediately. Wait at least five minutes to clear the line from the scammer before making any other calls, or use another phone.
Report the offence as soon as possible to police by telephoning 101.

Please remember: