Bogus police scam continues to target Cornwall

Elderly residents in Cornwall are asked to remain on their guard after more householders were targeted by a bogus police scam.

Offenders posing as police have contacted residents in mid and west Cornwall in the last two weeks as part of a national scam which is commonly known as ‘courier fraud’.

Devon and Cornwall Police has recorded more than 100 of these offences since last December, particularly in Torbay and south and north Devon.

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 or PC Hopkins 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.

Some victims are being asked to make a transfer to a ‘safe bank account’ and the money is being withdrawn straight away.
In the latest offences a Camborne man in his 60s was telephoned by a fake detective inspector from Scotland Yard claiming that someone had tried to access his bank account several times.
He was duped into transferring a substantial amount of money into a ‘secure bank account’ before he realised the call on 19 June was a scam.

A 96-year-old woman was contacted in Truro on 11 June but she put the phone down without giving away any bank details or money.

A man in supported living in Redruth was also phoned by the fraudsters on 17 June but he was wise to the scam thanks to previous police warnings and he put the phone down.

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 repeating warnings to the public, particularly older residents, not to go along with the scam and to report any attempts to police.

Genuine police would not phone members of the public in this way and certainly would never ask you for your bank details or ask you to send money.

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:

• Your bank will never attend your home.
• Your bank and the police will never collect your bank card or cash
• Your bank and the police will never ask for your PIN.

Anyone with any information about this fraud can contact police on 101, quoting Op Fardel crime reference CR/072154/14.