Bogus police scam targets Cornwall

Elderly residents in west Cornwall are being urged to be wise to a bogus police scam after a Helston victim was defrauded of £130,000.

Offenders posing as police have begun targeting Helston and west Cornwall as part of a national scam which is commonly known as ‘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 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Some victims are being asked to make a transfer to a ‘safe bank account’ and the money is being withdrawn straight away.

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

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.