On Thursday, January 26, 2023, seven residents from Ashford, Canterbury, and Folkestone were contacted by someone claiming to work for ‘Hammersmith Police.
The fraudster informed five victims that they had been arrested while attempting to use a bank card or a cloned bank card in their name. One of the victims was instructed to call 999, but the scammer remained on the line and connected to the same phone number.
Fortunately, all victims became suspicious, refused to provide any bank information, and the calls were terminated.
On Friday, January 27, an eighth pensioner from the North Downs area received a similar call and was defrauded of a large sum of money.
Margate CID Detective Inspector Sheena Barrell stated:
‘Scammers are defrauding their victims with increasingly credible-sounding stories. Unfortunately, many victims are often vulnerable and elderly members of the community who can be duped into losing a large sum of money.
‘Please keep in mind that a police force would never ask a member of the public for their bank account information or money over the phone. If you receive a similar call, hang up immediately and report it using our online form.’
Additional guidance
• If you are unsure whether a person claiming to be a police officer is genuine, ask to take their information and then end the call.
• Wait at least five minutes for the call to clear before dialling 101 or 999 in an emergency. A call handler will be able to confirm whether or not your caller was legitimate.
• Never give money or other valuables to a courier after receiving this type of call.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Kent Police at 01843 222289 and quote reference 46/16428/23.
You can also call Action Fraud at 0300 1232040 or report suspicious activity on their website.
The incident can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111 or filling out the online form on their website.
