We have today been approached by Northumbria Police in connection with a current scam, that is operating with Northumberland and the surrounding areas, in which the caller claims to be a police officer, details of which are set out below including advice for those who may be targeted.

Regrettably, this is one in a long line of scamming incidents which seeks to target those vulnerable members of society and the key messages can be applied to all cases where unsolicited calls are received

Superintend Mick Paterson is leading on reassurance and prevention for Northumbria Police, who will be replicating the key messages throughout the other Local Authorities and press and media.

-Fraudsters, pretending to be police officers, are targeting people over the phone and trying to con them out of their life savings. 

-The con involves a member of the public receiving a call from a person pretending to be a police officer. This fake officer tells the victim that their bank account is at risk of being hacked and they face having their money stolen. 

- Be aware that fraudsters often use techniques to hold your phone line open, so that when you try to dial out to verify the caller, they intercept and re-answer the call, claiming to be the bank or law enforcement. 

-To ensure that your phone has not been compromised, we recommend using a different phone line to verify the caller. Where a second phone line is not available, try calling a family or friend on the line first, as the fraudster will find it difficult to impersonate a voice that is known to you. 

- Never disclose your PIN or online / telephone banking log-in information or card reader codes to anyone, even if the caller claims to be from the bank or police. Remember, banks NEVER call and ask you to disclose these security details. 

- If you receive a call requesting your PIN, card details or online / telephone banking log-in information, or it is not clear who is calling end the call immediately.

- Don’t take unsolicited calls when you are busy and can’t give the salesman your full attention

- If you receive a suspicious or unexpected call, always verify the caller by taking their phone number and getting it checked independently. 

- Ensure elderly relatives and neighbours are aware of the fraud and crime prevention advice. 

Report any suspicious phone calls to police straight away on 101 ext 69191.