Telephone fraud: Older people targeted in bogus police scam

Police are warning older people and their families to be vigilant

Telephone scammers posed as police officers to target older people on multiple occasions in December, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said.

Nine incidents were reported in Belfast last Tuesday and Wednesday.

In most cases, those targeted were told they were being called in relation to fraudulent activity and asked if there was money at their house.

Some were told to leave cash in a bag outside their home.

The fraudsters said they were from the police or PSNI, sometimes mentioning specific police stations.

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The majority of calls were made to people in their seventies, eighties and nineties.

Officers said no money had been lost in any of the incidents reported last week.

'Hang up immediately'

PSNI Det Ch Insp Ian Wilson described the latest telephone scam as "despicable" and said if people were called in this way they should immediately hang up.

He warned older people and their families to be vigilant.

"Police officers will never ask you to withdraw or transfer money for any reason," he said.

"The perpetrators have one aim and that's preying on members of our older community to swindle them out of their money."

He said the impact of this type of scam could be "devastating", leaving people frightened and distressed.

In July, the Consumer Council reported £381,313 was lost to scammers in Northern Ireland though internet, telephone, postal and doorstep fraud.

Last year seven people were charged after a similar scam in which 36 victims handed over a total of £135,000 in cash.