Residents in Watford warned after elderly victim loses nearly £150k to fraudsters
Police are reminding people NOT to share bank details over the phone.
Last updated 27th Mar 2025
Fraudsters posing as police officers have been contacting residents in Hertfordshire in recent weeks, as police issue a warning NOT to share sensitive date on the phone.
Since the beginning of February, fraudsters have managed to scam victims out of nearly £150,000, by posing as police officers and asking them to hand over their bank cards or money.
Three of those victims were Watford residents, another was from St Albans.
The latest victim was contacted several times over the course of a few weeks, by a scammer claiming to be from Hammersmith Police.
The elderly victim handed over £144,500.
These kinds of scams usually involve the victim receiving a telephone call, via a mobile or a landline number, from someone posing as a police officer or bank official informing them of fraudulent activity on their bank account.
The victims are then instructed to put their bank cards and/or money into an envelope and give them to a courier or taxi, which is sent to their home by the offenders to collect.
In some cases, the victim may be asked to buy goods or vouchers.
If bank cards are collected they can be used later by the offenders to withdraw large sums of money.
The offenders may also ask the victim to disclose their bank details, including their account and PIN numbers, to aid the bogus investigation.
Detective Inspector Katy Jackson, from the Serious Fraud and Cyber Unit, said: “The number of courier fraud offences reported has been increasing across the eastern region, with people losing large sums of money.
"It’s important to re-iterate that police officers or bank officials will never ask you for sensitive information, like a PIN or ask you to purchase high value items to assist them with an enquiry.
“Usually, the intended victim realises the call is not genuine and refuses to part with their personal and bank details.
"However, these fraudsters can be very persuasive and insistent, which has resulted in some people falling victim to this scam and subsequently losing thousands of pounds.”
Police say that if you receive a call you are not expecting, you should be suspicious.
The vital things to remember are that your bank and the police would:
- NEVER ask for your bank account details or PIN number over the phone, so do not disclose these to anyone, no matter who they claim to be.
- NEVER ask you to withdraw money or purchase high value items and send it to them via a courier, taxi or by any other means.
- NEVER ask you to send your bank cards, or any other personal property, to them via courier, taxi or by any other means.
When reporting a suspicious phone call to police, wait at least five minutes before attempting to make the call to ensure you’re not reconnected to the offender.
Alternatively, use a mobile phone or a neighbour’s phone or test your landline by phoning a friend or relative first, to ensure you aren’t still unwittingly connected to the offender.
If you have concerns about your bank account, visit your local branch.