Police Warning Over New Fraudster Scam

Published on: 6 Oct, 2013
Updated on: 6 Oct, 2013

Surrey Police issued an urgent warning, just after midnight this morning (October 6), to residents, particularly in Guildford and Woking, to remain vigilant following a recent spate of scams involving fraudsters obtaining bank details, cards and cash using bogus telephone calls and couriers.

In the previous 24 hour period police had received reports of ten similar attempts to access bank cards and money, with reported offences in Guildford, Woking, Pyrford, Burpham and Chobham.

In each case the victims reported receiving telephone calls from someone claiming to be a police officer and attempting to convince them to hand over large amounts of cash and bank cards.

The offenders often claim to be an officer from the Metropolitan Police and use a variety of pretences that include saying the victim’s bank card has been used by somebody that they have in custody. They then ask the victim to phone the bank to cancel the card and tell the victims that they will send a courier round to collect the card.

Meanwhile the fraudster stays on the line and obtains the victim’s bank details whilst they think they are phoning the bank. The courier then calls at the victim’s address saying they have been sent by the police to collect a parcel, the envelope containing the card.

Three incidents of this scam were all reported shortly after 9pm tonight (Saturday, October 5) one took place at an address off the B367 Upshot Lane in Woking, another at address in Frog Grove Lane in Wood Street Village and a third offence in Burnet Avenue in Burpham.

Fortunately, in the three most recent cases no money or cards were taken from the victims who were suspicious of the call and contacted Surrey Police.

Police are also appealing for details of a man who attended an address off Boltons Lane in Pyrford at around 5.30pm today claiming to be a courier who had been sent to collect a parcel containing bank cards from an elderly victim. The victim refused to hand over his cards and the man left empty-handed.

The man is described as white, around 40-years-old, 5ft 8ins or 5ft 9ins tall, spoke with an eastern European accent, stocky build, short dark hair and was wearing a dark jacket and dark trousers.

Neighbourhood officers are warning residents that these requests are not genuine and that no police officer or bank would operate in this manner and would never request a customer to confirm their PIN details over the phone. Anyone who receives a suspicious call, either on the phone or in person, is urged to not give any details to the caller and report the matter to the police.

Any courier companies or taxis that may have been asked to pick up such packages are also being urged to call Surrey Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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