People in Norfolk targeted by fraudsters pretending to be police
Multiple victims in Norfolk, including Norwich, Breckland and South Norfolk, have received telephone calls from a man claiming to be a detective.
Courier fraud criminals have been targeting residents in Norfolk this week. Police have received an increase in reports from the public who have received calls from people claiming to be police officers.
Multiple victims in Norfolk, including Norwich, Breckland and South Norfolk, have received telephone calls from a man claiming to be a detective. The caller has told them that their bank cards have been cloned and money has been taken in an attempt to gain their banking information. All attempts were unsuccessful.
Courier fraud happens when a fraudster contacts a victim by telephone claiming to be a police officer, bank or from a government department, among other agencies. A number of techniques will then be adopted in order to convince the victim to hand over their bank details or cash, which may then be passed on to a courier.
The police are warning that the the force, or your bank will NEVER ask you to withdraw money or purchase items.
Officers have provided the following advice:
Never give out personal information about your bank account to anybody over the phone. Police and banks will never ask you to give out personal details such as account numbers or PIN numbers.
If someone calls claiming to be a police officer, ask for their identification number and police force. Hang up and call 101 using a different phone. If you can't use a different phone, wait at least five minutes before calling back. A genuine police officer will not mind waiting while you check.
Fraudsters will keep the line open and have been known to play ringtones, hold music and a recorded message down the phone so the victim believes they are making a call to a legitimate number. Ensure you can hear a dialling tone before calling police or use a friend or neighbour's telephone instead.
If you have given out information which could compromise your bank account security in any way, call your bank to cancel your cards as soon as possible.
Never hand over money to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere.
Police say it is important that we are checking in on our vulnerable friends and family to ensure they are aware of how these scams may operate and how best to protect themselves.