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Warning - Beware of Bogus Police Messages and Scams

Dear residents, 

 

We want to raise awareness regarding recent incidents were residents have been approached with fraudulent communication which are designed to deceive you into revealing personal information, transferring money, or taking other actions that could lead to significant financial loss.

 

How These Scams Typically Work :

Scammers impersonating police officer or other official bodies contact residents through:

  • Unsolicited Phone Calls: They may claim to be from various police forces(e.g. Metropolitan Police, your local constabulary) or even related law enforcement agency.
  • Texts or Emails : These messages often contain urgent warnings or requests for information.

    • The core of these scams is to create a sense of urgency and fear, claiming:

     

  • There's an ongoing fraudulent activity on your bank account
  • Your identity has been stolen or compromised
  • You're involved in an investigation related to a counterfeit money or other serious crimes
  • Someone arrested has been found with your personal details

    • The ultimate goal is to get you to :

     

  • Provide bank details, PIN's, or other sensitive financial information
  • Withdraw money from your account 
  • purchase high-value items like gold or gift cards
  • Transfer money to a “safe” account(which is actually the scammers account)
  • hand over your bank cards or cash to a courier or taxi driver
  • change the money to a different monetary value(e.g., EURO)

    • They will often pressure you to act immediately and tell you not to speak to anyone else about the “investigation”. Some may even instruct you to call a specific number (like 999 or 101) to verify their identity, but they may keep the line open, meaning you're still speaking to them or an accomplice.

     

    How To Protect Yourself - What Genuine Police Will NEVER Do:

     

    Please be aware that genuine police officers and official organizations will NEVER ask you to :

  • Withdraw money or purchase items on their behalf
  • Transfer money to a “safe” account
  • Provide you PIN, full bank details, or passwords over the phone , via text,, or email
  • Send your bank cards or cash by courier or any other means
  • Lie to your bank or bypass their security measures 

    • If you received suspicious messages or call hang up immediately , do not engage with the caller, do not click on any link or reply.

    Verify independently if you are concerned, wait at least 5 minutes, or ideally, use a different phone line to ensure the scammer has disconnected.

     

    CALL the Police non-emergency number 101 or your bank using a number you know is genuine (e.g., their official website or the back of your bank card )

    NEVER use a number provided by the suspicious caller,

    CHECK ID at your door!!!! If someone claiming to be the police comes to your door ask for their identification. If you are unsure, close the door and call 101 to verify their identity. A genuine officer will understand your caution, 

     

    REPORT IT:

     

  • Report all fraud attempts to ACTION FRAUD online at : https://actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040
  • Forwarding suspicious text messages to 7726 (a free service)
  • If you are in immediate danger or a crime in progress, call 999

    • SPREAD THE WORD! Share this information with family friends, and neighbours, especially those who may be more vulnerable to such scams.

     

    By staying vigilant and informed, we can collectively protect ourselves and our community from these deceptive criminal activities.

     

    Sincerely , 

     

    South Croydon Neighbourhoods 

     

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    Message Sent By
    Carla Sava
    (Metropolitan Police Service, PCSO, South Croydon SNT)
    Neighbourhood Alert