We are warning members of the public to be on the lookout after conmen made multiple attempts to defraud vulnerable victims of their savings by posing as police officers.
The fraudsters are believed to be targeting victims in the west Kent area, and detectives are urging people to be on their guard.
Neither police officers nor banks would ever ask you to hand over cash or for personal confidential material over the phone.
In one incident, a vulnerable victim from the Tonbridge area was persuaded to hand over more than £12,000 to people posing as officers from the ‘Hammersmith Serious Fraud Squad’. She received a phone call at around midday on 6 March 2019 from a purported police officer who told her to take money out of the bank, tell no one and someone would come to collect it from her. The victim went to the bank, withdrew the money and handed it over to a man driving a black car who appeared at her door.
Other victims, who are often vulnerable or elderly, have reported receiving phone calls from people purporting to be police officers from forces all over the country asking people for bank details, credit card details and to withdraw money to give them.
Det Sgt Marc Cananur, from our Volume Fraud Team, said: ‘Legitimate police officers would never ask members of the public to give them money or for their bank or other financial details. ‘The people carrying out these frauds are the lowest of the low, preying on vulnerable victims and stealing their money.
If anyone receives any calls of this nature, or other similar approaches, Please get in touch with Kent Police, on 01622 604100. Alternatively, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers in Kent anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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