Three Arrested in £80,000 Police Phone Scam
Three men have been arrested over a cruel fraud spree that saw victims lose thousands, including a vulnerable woman who handed over nearly £8,000. The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate’s fraud squad cracked down after tracking a suspect vehicle on the A2 at around 4pm on Monday, 13 May 2019.
High-Speed Pursuit Ends in Bexley Arrests
With help from a neighbouring force and a police helicopter, officers tailed and stopped the car in the Bexley area. All three males inside were arrested for fraud offences linked to a callous scam targeting residents across Kent.
The Scam: Fake Police Officer Phone Calls
- Victims received calls on their landlines from someone pretending to be a police officer.
- They were urged to dial 101 to verify the officer’s identity, but the original caller stayed on the line, duping victims into handing over financial data.
- Victims were then told to withdraw cash as “evidence,” which fraudsters collected from their homes.
Detective Sergeant Marc Cananur revealed the gang has pulled off nine such scams in Kent since January 2019, netting over £80,000. One late-70s woman in Faversham only realised too late she had been tricked into handing over a huge sum of cash.
“We’re also investigating another Faversham case where cash went missing, but we haven’t identified a victim yet,” said Det Sgt Cananur. “If you or someone you know might have been targeted, please come forward. Friends and neighbours should alert vulnerable people about this.”
Can You Help Catch These Callous Fraudsters?
Anyone with information is urged to call the witness appeal line on 01795 419119, quoting reference 13-1073. Don’t let these scammers get away with it.
