Warning over telephone scam targeting elderly and vulnerable
Police are warning residents of a telephone scam that targets the elderly and vulnerable on the borough.
The caller claims to be a police officer and says they have someone in custody that has been caught using a copy of the victim’s bank card.
They then say they need the original card to progress the investigation and ask the victim to take the card to a police station. They also ask for the card PIN number.
The victims will usually not be in a position to physically take their card to a police station so the suspect offers to have it collected by a courier. When the card has been collected the victim’s bank account is quickly cleared out.
Since January 2011 to March this year there have been 2429 offences of this type in London. The average financial loss to the victim is £4168.
You may also want to watch:
Anyone with information about these kinds of scams call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Most Read
- 1 Barking butcher fined £40k for selling 'poor quality chicken'
- 2 Indian restaurants in Barking and Dagenham, recommended by readers
- 3 Stephen Port victims' delayed inquest set to begin in Barking
- 4 Parade through Barking celebrates borough's 'inspirational' youngsters
- 5 Hospitality Day: Barking and Dagenham's favourite cafe, pub and restaurant revealed
- 6 Man in 50s stabbed in Barking
- 7 Restaurant ordered to pay £5k after 2019 fly-tipping offences
- 8 'The entire game will mourn him': Tributes to football great Jimmy Greaves
- 9 Two men stabbed and a third slashed during We Are FSTVL
- 10 Chadwell Heath station assault witness appeal
