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 Is the Becontree estate in Barking and Dagenham really a Covid hotspot?
- 2 Padnall Lake, teachers in pandemic, hearing loss and Covid insurance
- 3 Tributes to 'much-loved' volunteer with a passion for Dagenham history
- 4 Town hall backs Dagenham freeport bid
- 5 Heritage: How greyhound enthusiast's 1960s betting coup failed
- 6 NHS nurse assaulted at east London hospital
- 7 Rapid Covid-19 test site for people without symptoms open in Dagenham
- 8 Organisers seek former Mayesbrook teachers to join school reunion
- 9 Man recalled to prison after persistent anti-social behaviour in Dagenham cul de sac
- 10 Hundreds of shops found not complying with Covid rules
