Oldham Trading Standards and Greater Manchester Police are warning people to be on their guard against criminals trying to trick you into giving out personal information and bank details over the telephone.

Trading Standards have received a report that scammers are cold calling people and they are then asking for personal information and bank details.  The reports indicate that the callers are intimidating and persistent.

Never disclose personal or financial information over the phone. Some cold calls are random attempts to trick victims into handing over sensitive information, others use details already known about you - such as your name or address - to sound more convincing. An unexpected call probing for information or asking for money should raise suspicions.

Genuine callers will always be happy for you to verify who they are.

If you receive a call asking you for money then hang up, wait 5 minutes for the line to clear, or use a different line altogether and report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. 

The Citizens Advice Consumer Service can also provide advice if you are concerned that you may be a victim of fraud, or if you are receiving unwanted telephone calls.

Our community messaging system ‘Bee in the Loop’ will allow you to choose what information you would like to know about including crime and incidents in your local area. The system is also an invaluable investigative tool and that we can use to appeal for information or intelligence and help to solve crime. We will keep you updated on the work we are doing to raise awareness of the work our teams are doing to keep you safe. Sign up to Bee in the Loop about what is happening in your community. Home Page - Bee in the Loop