Congresbury.net

Police warn vulnerable elderly people to be alert to a scam, after incidents in North Somerset.

Between Wednesday 25 November and Thursday 3 December there were five incidents reported, with four happening on Tuesday and Wednesday. All have involved calls to people in their 70s, 80s or 90s living in Clevedon or Portishead.

In each case someone has telephoned impersonating a police officer. They claim the householder’s bank account has been used for crime and insist on cash being withdrawn, which they say they need as “evidence” and is collected from the house.

Two elderly residents in the Clevedon area have been the subject of serious fraud.

Both received telephone calls today, December 2, from people claiming to be police officers – one from Luton and the other allegedly from Bristol. The supposed officers were very persistent and even asked one of the victims to call 191 to check their identity with a colleague. This was a clever ploy, as the line had not been disconnected and the phone was merely handed to an accomplice.

In both instances they were asked to attend their banks, and were advised by the fake police how they could get around the security measures / questions. On arrival the victims withdrew thousands of pounds between them, which was later collected from their homes by a courier. A password was given by the fraudster to use when handing the money over to the courier to make it even more convincing.

Avon and Somerset police say that this type of fraud can occur anywhere, so always be wary of unexpected calls. Never give out any personal details, especially financial account numbers or passwords. If you have any concerns, hang up immediately. Contact the bank or organisation they claim to represent using a mobile or different phone in case the offenders are still on the line. Never use any telephone numbers provided by the fraudster. Police will never ask you to attend your bank or withdraw cash.