BANKING SCAMS

Dear Residents,

Banking scams have increased.

Courier scam - victims are contacted by individuals pretending to be bank employees, who then go to their home address and obtain their card and PIN.

To prevent and report bank fraud, follow the Metropolitan Police's advice to protect your details by securely disposing of sensitive documents, checking your bank statements regularly, and never giving out your PIN, passwords, or other financial information in response to an unsolicited call or message. Report suspected fraud to Action Fraud or call 101 if the suspect is known or still present. Be cautious of suspicious ATM devices and remember that banks and police will never call to ask for sensitive information over the phone. 

Prevention tips

Shred all documents with personal or banking information. When receiving new cards, sign them immediately and set up security features like Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode. 

Regularly monitor your bank statements and online accounts for any unauthorized transactions. 

Do not click on links or open attachments in suspicious emails or texts. Banks and police will not ask for your PIN, passwords, or other sensitive details via email, text, or phone call. 

Look for any suspicious devices on ATMs. If something seems wrong, don't use it and report it to the bank and police. 

If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from your bank or the police, hang up. Call the bank back using the number on the back of your card on a different phone line to verify the request. 

Reporting fraud