Bogus cop scammers target account holders

CRIMINALS are calling people in Derbyshire claiming to be police officers investigating bank fraud.

Derbyshire police say the callers, pretending to be “DC Campbell” or “Sergeant Collins”, have told potential victims that their card had been ‘cloned,’ or that they had arrested someone with a bank card belonging to the victim.

The target may then be asked to withdraw cash, to be given to a courier or sent via the post to be put into a ‘safe account,’ or asked to confirm bank or personal details.

Derbyshire police’s fraud protect officer, Tammy Barnes, said: “If you receive a call of this nature, please just hang up. If you suspect any fraudulent transactions in your account, ring your bank on a trusted number, such as the one on the back of your card.

“Fortunately, in these recent cases the scammers were unsuccessful. But we know that they can be very insistent and persuasive, so be prepared by remembering the message of ‘Stop! Think! Tell!”

Stop! Think! Tell! Is the key message of Derbyshire police’s Sock it to the Scammers campaign, which reminds people to be vigilant and taking a moment to stop and think when someone approaches them out of the blue.

In the event of a fake police or bank fraud team phone call, police urged people to do the following to protect against the scam:

Remember, your bank or a police officer will never call out of the blue asking for sensitive information like PINS or bank account numbers.

Banks or the police will never ask you to withdraw cash to give to a third party for a ‘safe account.’

If they claim to be a police officer, you can call 101 to confirm their identity.

An officer should also show you their warrant card as proof of their identity and authority if they visit you in person.

Before calling the police or bank to verify the caller’s claims, wait at least five minutes to make sure you hear a dialling tone. There have been cases of fraudsters keeping a phone line open after the victim has hung up.