The POLICE have issued an urgent warning of a courier scam gang targeting people in Herefordshire
West Mercia Police received several reports this month of attempts to defraud people in Herefordshire.
Criminals posing as police officers or bank employees target people in Herefordshire with a scam known as “courier scams”. The victims are elderly and vulnerable, the police said.
Herefordshire Police Commissioner Chris Percival said fraudsters were targeting vulnerable people in and around Hereford, fooling them into believing their bank accounts had been compromised.
He said, “I urge anyone who has elderly or vulnerable relatives to call them, call their neighbors over the fence, or remind them that the police will never call you and instruct you to retreat if they are in.” Come to your store your cash.
No officer will ever ask you to go to a bank for an investigation and surrender your money if a loved one is in custody or if your account has been compromised.
“Everyone should also remember that no bank or government agency will ever contact you asking you to disclose personal or financial information, or requesting you to participate in activities to aid an ongoing investigation into you.
“These criminals are members of organized crime gangs with the confidence and experience to be very persuasive, and ‘courier scams’ is only one element of their criminal activities.
“But we can defeat them with one simple act: hang up the phone. No cop will call your grandma, father or you and ask for your money.
“They lie, they are criminals and you can beat them by ending the call.
“So please tell anyone you think should know that no police officer in any force or department will ever ask you to hand over or transfer funds, regardless of their name or unit.
“I want to assure the people of Herefordshire and Worcestershire that we want to investigate these crimes and these gangs and hear from anyone who has been contacted in this way.”
“Please remember that the police will never contact you to ask for your bank card, details and cash, or to ask you to go to a bank to withdraw cash. If someone does this, it’s a scam – don’t give details or give anything, hang up, wait ten minutes and then call 101.
“If the crime is ongoing because, for example, you recently provided bank details, or handed over cards or cash, or visiting your bank, or the caller arranged for someone to be picked up at your address, you should call the police to report this at 999.”