We have received the following message from our local police
“The caller will say either:
1) There has been fraudulent activity at the victims’ bank and bank staff are involved. The victim is then asked to withdraw money to either keep it safe or assist the police with their investigation.
2) A business such as a jewellers or currency exchange is fraudulent and they need the victims’ assistance to help secure evidence by purchasing jewellery or exchange a large amount of currency to hand over to the police.
3) The victims’ card has been compromised and used to purchase goods by a suspect, the victim is requested to withdraw their money to keep it safe or hand their bank card to the police.
The caller may tell the victim to lie about the reason for the withdrawal or purchase if challenged by staff, claiming that the staff members are involved in the fraud.
Occasionally the victim will be told to dial a police number to receive confirmation of the story.
A courier attends the victim’s home address to collect the goods the same day. Often the victim is given a code word for the courier as a way of authentication.
Remember, your bank or police would never:
Phone and ask you for your PIN or full banking password;
Ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping;
Ask you to transfer money out of your account;
Send someone to your home to collect cash, PINs, cards to cheque books.
Kind regards,
Lee O’Brien PCSO 7562NW”