Scam warning

Published: 06 March 2025

Residents are being warned to be on their guard against criminals claiming to be from the police calling them about a cloned bank card or about a fraud on their account. They claim they have someone in custody and ask the victim to call them back. When the victim puts down the phone and calls back, the scammers are in fact still on the line.

These scams can be very convincing, and scammers are often able to confirm some easily obtainable information such as the victim's full name and address, date of birth, or even the first eight digits of their bank account number.

Anyone receiving this type of call should:

•       Hang up and use a different phone line to call Action Fraud, their bank, or the police, or wait ten minutes until there's a dialling tone before calling back
•       If a different phone line is not available, try calling a friend or family member to make sure the scammer is no longer on the line
•       Not be ashamed or embarrassed about being defrauded, it can happen to anyone

Anyone who thinks they or someone they know might have been defrauded should report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.