Police urge people to be wary of latest phone fraud

Police urge people to be wary of latest phone fraud

Police in Cumbria are urging people to check with vulnerable and older family and friends - following a number of reported frauds in recent days.

People were targeted by phone in Workington, the Penrith area and in the south of the county this weekend by fraudsters falsely claiming to be from Amazon.

They were told that a payment for an item was pending on their account. The victim had not ordered the item. The fraudster aimed to persuade them to share personal information and identity documents, such as a passport or driving licence.

In some cases they were asked to buy gift cards and send the fraudsters the codes once the panel on the back was scratched off. Others were told to download apps, including those for remote access software, which have given those carrying out the fraud access to their devices.

Our officers are regularly providing advice to help people steer clear of fraud.

We would once again ask people to please check with vulnerable and older family members, friends and neighbours to make sure they have not been a victim of this type of fraud or been approached by potential fraudsters. Officers would also ask people to remind others to be wary of cold calling and unsolicited contact.

Please remind them not to be rushed into doing anything and to always remember: Amazon, banks, the police and organisations such as the Financial Conduct Authority would NEVER:

Should people have doubts about the person they are speaking with, they should put the phone down.

As fraudsters have been known to keep the line open after a victim has hung up, they should either wait five minutes or use a different phone to contact the bank or the police using a trusted number.

They must never use a number provided to them by the caller.

The non-urgent number for police is 101. Dialling 159 from any phone will allow you to say the name of the bank you wish to speak to, and you will be put through.