Fraudsters are pretending to be police officers

Devon and Cornwall Police are warning residents to be vigilant over a phone scam involving fraudsters posing as police officers.

Over recent days, we have been informed that people are being called by scammers under the guise of "assisting with an investigation". 

The callers often pose as a police officer and have at times given a fictitious crime reference number to appear genuine in an apparent attempt to gain information, including financial details.

It is believed fraudsters have spoofed a Devon and Cornwall Police phone number, again increasing the appearance of the call being genuine in nature.

Scammers have also targeted other force areas and used numbers for other police forces.

Dan Thorogood, Head of Contact Services for Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “Fraudsters can be very convincing as well as persuasive and demanding. Victims are often told to not tell their friends or family that they are ‘helping’ with an investigation.

“Genuine police officers will never call out of the blue to ask you to hand over sensitive personal details. You should always verify who the person is before passing any information and should not rely on Caller ID to do so.

“If you have been a victim of this scam or to one similar, please report it to the police or to Report Fraud. Your information is vital in helping us identify the people who are behind this.”

You can report fraud to the police by calling 101 or by completing an online report: Report fraud, bribery or corruption | Devon & Cornwall Police

Individuals who have been targeted by a scam or fallen victim can also contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at Report Fraud.

How to protect yourself:

Any police, bank, fraud department or similar will never ask you to:

• Transfer money or ask you to purchase items
• Become involved in an investigation or assist them by transferring or using your own money 
• Withdraw your money and give it to a courier
• Give out yours or someone’s card pin number or full card details

If you receive a call that is suspicious, police advise you to:

• Hang up and wait for 5-10 minutes, or phone a friend or relative to clear the line
• If you need to check a police officer calling is a genuine officer, contact your local police force by dialling 101 
• Talk to your friends and family about any cold callers and ask for their help and advice
• If you have already given your bank details over the phone or handed your card details to a courier, call your bank straight away. Phone 159 to reach your bank's fraud department directly

Further advice around fraud can be found on the Devon & Cornwall Police website: Advice about fraud | Devon & Cornwall Police