Scammed out of £58,000!

An urgent alert has gone out from Dyfed-Powys Police who have said that they know of eight people in the area who have been scammed out of a combined £58,000 by fraudsters posing as bank staff or police officers.

The ‘Courier Fraud’ convinces victims that their accounts have been compromised, then send a courier to collect the money. They normally target vulnerable people.

DC Gareth Jordan from the Economic Crime Team said: “People posing as fake bank staff or police officers have been calling residents and persuading them their accounts have been compromised, then sending a courier to collect the money.

“In the past week alone, we have seen eight people lose a significant amount of money between them, and it’s very distressing for those victims.

“We are asking friends and family to look out for those that could be vulnerable – talk to them about this scam, advise them to be vigilant, and report any suspicious calls. Please remember that police, or your bank, will never ask you to withdraw money or transfer it to a ‘safe’ account.”

The advice from police:

If someone claiming to be a police officer asks you to withdraw money for safe keeping or that they’re investigating the bank staff, it’s a scam. The police, or your bank, will never ask you to assist in an internal investigation.

They will never ask you to reveal your full banking password or PIN either. Never hand your card over with the PIN number.

And the police will never send someone to your home to collect money, nor will they ask you to transfer funds out of your account. 

Remember -

Stop: Always take a moment to think before parting with your money or information - it could keep you safe.
Challenge: Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
Protect: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen victim to a scam and report it to the police.
Report suspicious emails to: report@phishing.gov.uk
You can also report suspicious texts by forwarding the original message to 7726, which spells SPAM on your keypad. 

Anyone who receives a similar call is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police either online: bit.ly/DPPContactOnline; by emailing: 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk or calling: 101

Anyone who thinks they have fallen victim to a scammer should report it by calling 101, or Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. For further advice and information on how to avoid being scammed visit www.actionfraud.police.uk.