Police urge Dacorum residents to be vigilant of scam phone calls

Police are urging people across across Hertfordshire to remain vigilant, following further reports of scam phone calls last week.

In some cases, elderly residents have sadly been tricked into handing over money to fraudsters.

Typically, victims are contacted by callers posing as police officers, from either a landline or a mobile number, informing them that there has been fraudulent activity on their bank account.

The bogus police officer then asks victims to withdraw cash, or in some cases to buy expensive items, to hand over to a courier that is despatched to their address.

The offenders may also ask people to assist the investigation by handing over bank cards and disclosing their bank details, including their account and PIN numbers.

Usually the intended victim realises the call is not genuine and refuses to part with their details or cash. 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.

If you receive a call you’re 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 over the phone, so do not disclose these to anyone, no matter who they claim to be

> Never ask you to withdraw money 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.

If you are not happy with a phone call and are suspicious of the conversation you have with the caller then please end the call and dial 101 or report online.

Remember, 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 test your landline by phoning a friend or relative first, to ensure you aren’t still unwittingly connected to the offender.

Police use several methods to communicate key messages with the public, but they are asking residents to assist them by sharing this advice with friends, colleagues and relatives, particularly those who are elderly.