Police issue warning on bogus officers phone scam

A woman holds a smartphone. She has short dyed red hair and glasses, and she is wearing a beige cardigan. The smartphone is red.Image source, Getty Images
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Police said they received two reports from people in Worcestershire, who had been contacted by men claiming to be officers

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Police forces in the Midlands have warned residents about the risk of fraudsters phoning them or turning up on their doorstep and pretending to be officers.

West Mercia Police said it had received two reports from people in south Worcestershire who had been contacted by men claiming to be officers in London.

The men told the residents they were investigating fraud on their bank account, the force added.

Police forces in Suffolk, Hertfordshire, and Cumbria have issued warnings about similar scams in recent months.

In the Hertfordshire scam, police said one person had lost £110,000.

'Doorstep scams and bogus callers'

West Mercia Police, which serves Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire, said a genuine officer would never ask someone to make a payment, withdraw or transfer money, or share bank details.

The force advised people to hang up if they suspected fraud. They should then wait for ten minutes and call the organisation or company that the person said they were from, in order to check if the call was legitimate.

West Midlands Police, which covers Birmingham, Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Coventry, also said over the weekend that residents in its area should be cautious after "recent reports of doorstep scams and bogus callers".

The force said these criminals often pretended to be police officers, council staff or utility workers.

It advised people to talk to would-be visitors through their digital doorbell or ask them to show ID before opening the door. They could also make checks by calling a company or organisation directly, using a publicly-listed phone number.

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