Fraudsters Imitating Police to Scam Southport Locals

police need everyone to be on their guard against a type of fraud where criminals are claiming to be us in order to con people out of their money.

In the past week, fraudsters have called Southport residents claiming to be a police officer and giving a police rank then fake name. Three incidents have happened in the town in the last week and more have happened in neighbouring police force areas.

The callers have lied to the person they’ve called by saying they’re investigating a banking fraud against them and need them to withdraw cash from the bank.

They have stayed on the phone to their victims and spun a complex web of other lies designed to trick them into withdrawing more cash from places like travel agents, the Bank and the Post Office.

All the while under the pretence that they’re the Police and that the victim is helping them investigate… a fraud!

These criminals are staying on the line and instructing their victims to hand over cash to their accomplices in person, who also pretend to be the Police, but could even be a person claiming to be acting on their behalf.

This is 'courier fraud' and a complete scam that we need everyone reading this to be aware of and help spread the word amongst your friends, families and neighbours.

Last week, two local Southport residents lost seven thousand pounds to ‘courier fraud’.

Please remember, police will never tell you to withdraw money from your account. If it sounds suspicious, it probably is.

Here’s how you can help:

• Be suspicious/vigilant if you get a call from anyone saying your bank card has been cloned or money stolen from your account

• Always ask who the caller is, get full name, rank, collar number (this is unique to every real police officer), their police station and a crime reference or incident log number

• Then, end the call by hanging up and from a different phone, call 101, ask for the police and tell our call handler what has happened and ask them to verify what you’ve been told

If the information doesn’t check out our control room will advise you what to do next, which will include:

• Alerting a trusted relative, neighbour or friend to what has happened

• Not giving out any personal or banking details to anyone who calls you back (including our control room)

• Not doing anything like withdrawing large amounts of money to give to anyone claiming to be from the police, or letting anyone like this into your home

•Local Policing Officers are working with Banks and building societies to help raise awareness to customers. They are also conducting Fraud awareness sessions in the area.

Please share and get anyone who might be vulnerable to this scam to read the info on the Crimestoppers and Action Fraud website.