Phone fraud scam warning

Police have issued a warning about a sophisticated new phone scam in which the victim is targeted with a call from a loved one’s number.

Authorities have issued a warning over the sophisticated “number spoofing” phone scam, in which fraudsters call a person from their partner’s phone to claim they have been in a serious accident and require expensive emergency surgery.

People have been warned to be on their guard against a phone scam known as “number spoofing”, after several reported cases.

Police highlighted a case in North Yorkshire, where a man received a call which appeared to be from his wife’s mobile phone.

The victim spoke to a man with a “foreign-sounding accent who introduced himself as a hospital doctor, stating his wife had been in a car accident and required emergency surgery which was not covered by the NHS.

The caller requested bank details to make a transfer of £300 to cover the cost of surgery.

The police warning added: “The man called his wife’s number back, who answered fit and well.”

The scam seems to be widespread.

Other reported cases have seen fraudsters pretend to be doctors calling from hospitals in South Shields and Bristol.

A spokesman for Action Fraud said: “Never assume that someone is who they say they are just because their number matches that of an organisation or person you know.

“If you think you have been a victim of fraud, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.”