Scam phone calls in Bishop's Stortford

We're urging people to remain vigilant, following reports of scam phone calls in Bishop’s Stortford this afternoon (Wednesday 4 February).

Typically, victims are contacted by callers posing as fake police officers, informing them that there has been fraudulent activity on their bank account.

The bogus police officer may then ask the victim to assist their 'investigation' by handing over bank cards and PIN numbers or large sums of money to a courier.

Usually, the intended victim realises the call is not genuine and refuses to part with their details or cash - which, thankfully, was the case today. However, these fraudsters can be very persuasive, which has previously resulted in some people losing thousands of pounds.

If you receive a call you’re not expecting, you should be suspicious. The vital things to remember are that banks and police officers would:

If you are not happy with a phone call and are suspicious of the conversation you have with the caller, then please end the call and dial 101 or report online - https://www.herts.police.uk/ro/report/

Remember, when reporting a suspicious phone call to police, wait at least five minutes before attempting to make the call to ensure you’re not reconnected to the offender. Alternatively, use a mobile phone or test your landline by phoning a friend or relative first, to ensure you aren’t still unwittingly connected to the offender.

We use several methods to communicate key messages with the public, but we would also ask people to please assist us by sharing this advice with friends, colleagues and relatives.