Vulnerable urged to be on their guard

Cheshire Police are currently investigating an incident that occurred on 28th June relating to an elderly couple who received several phone calls from a man who said he was from the Metropolitan Police.

The couple were told that their credit cards and bank account had been compromised, they were also informed that the offenders, who worked at the bank, had counterfeit money.

The caller then advised the victims to withdraw as much cash as possible from their account as it may have been counterfeit. After withdrawing the money the couple then received another call telling them that a man would be coming to their home to pick up the money so that it could be checked.

The offender is described as of Asian origin, approximately 5ft 5ins tall, with short black hair and possibly a moustache. The man was wearing dark clothing.

Chief Inspector Mike Evans said: “This is an extremely callous act, and as a result of this incident the victims have lost a large amount of money.

“In addition to this case we have also had other reports from residents in the Chester area that we believe have been targeted by the same offenders. Thankfully, in the other cases the victims have not fallen for the scam and no money was taken.

“Although these incidents occurred In Chester, we know from past experience that phone frauds tend to happen more than once as offenders target the area before moving on to the next.

“That’s why we are advising residents across the county to be aware of this latest scam and bear in mind the following advice if you receive a cold call.”

• Don′t be afraid to put the phone down on someone if you are unsure about handing over details.
• Banks never call and ask for your four-digit card Pin or ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them or transfer money to another account.
• Never assume a caller is genuine just because they hold some information about you. Criminals may already have some basic information, such as a name, address and account details to try to make the call appear legitimate.
• Always be wary of cold callers who suggest you hang up the phone and call them back.
• If in doubt ask for the officer′s name, collar number and station and then hang up. Using a different phone, as the caller may still be linked to yours, call 101 to check the identity of the officer.
• Remember that it takes two people to terminate a call so try and use a different phone line if you are asked to ring back. If you think you′ve already been a victim of this scam, contact your bank or card company immediately.

Anyone who is a victim of this scam should contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and Police on 101.

Anyone with information about this incident contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting 917 of 28 June 2016. Alternatively information can be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.