The Butser neighbourhood policing team is warning people after an incident that took place in Petersfield recently.
On Thursday, January 16, a 78-year-old woman was defrauded of £14,000 after being contacted via phone by an unknown male. He informed her that he was an undercover Hampshire police officer investigating counterfeit currency in local banks.
The woman was convinced to help the investigation by withdrawing a large amount of cash from two different banks, which was subsequently collected from her address by a male.
A Hampshire Police spokesperson said: “This incident shows the sickening manipulation used by offenders to scam the vulnerable into handing over what could be their life savings.
“This technique, known as Courier Fraud, is just one of many similar scams used to target people in our community and we would urge those who have vulnerable relatives to warn them about such scams.”
Police also shared the following advice:
- Officers will never ask members of the public to withdraw cash
- If you are speaking to a police officer on the phone, they will be happy to provide their name and collar number
- If you are not sure then ask for the officer's details and advise them you want to check. Hang up and call 101 providing the officers details. These can be confirmed as genuine by the control room. Officers will not be offended that you want to check who they are.
- If officers come to your door, in uniform or not, you can ask to see their warrant card. They will gladly show you photographic identification which also has their name and collar number.
The investigation continues and the team are working hard to identify those responsible. If you have any information or have been a victim of fraud contact police online or call 101.
For more information regarding fraud and crime prevention advice, visit: https://orlo.uk/Bnk2P. You can also access The Little Book of Big Scams which provides useful information on the various types of fraud via: https://orlo.uk/nE2OB.