Unfortunately one of our elderly vulnerable residents fell prey to a telephone scam from a so-called police officer.

On 11/06/2019 police were called to attend a local address

At approximately 1319 hours on the 11/06/2019 the victim had received a phone call from a withheld number from a male who stated to her that he was DC MARTIN RONSON from Bexleyheath Police Station and that her Visa card had been used in Argos. He stated that she would need to cancel her card with the bank, but then went on to ask her if she would be willing to assist the police in an investigation into bank tellers handing out fake notes. 

The victim has agreed to assist the male because she has believed him to be a police officer. The unknown male has then proceeded to ask her how much money she has in her account and she has told him approximately £1700. The male has then asked her to withdraw the sum of £1425 from her local bank. She agreed and attended her bank in Sidcup High Street, where she was informed by staff that she would be unable to take money out at that branch. The male on the phone has then stated that she should visit another branch in order to complete the investigation. She then travelled on the bus to Orpington High Street to visit the bank there. When she arrived she was able to take out the money. 

The male on the phone has then instructed her to return home and read him out some of the serial numbers on the back of the bank notes whilst wearing gloves. She gave the serial numbers and was told that they were fake and that a plain clothes officer would come over to her home to collect the money for the investigation. He told the victim the money was insured and she would be reimbursed. He also told the victim to remain on the phone to him but to dial 999 to confirm that this was a police investigation. The victim has dialled 999 whilst on the phone to the male and she has then heard a female voice confirming that the investigation was genuine. The male has returned to the line and asked her for a password to give to the plain clothes officer and the victim has chosen 'DINNER'.  

A male/suspect knocked on her door and declared himself as a police officer and collected the money from her. She also handed this male other bank cards, along with pin numbers, of which had been passed to the male on the phone. The victim believes that she was still on the phone to a male when the other suspect attended her address to collect the money suggesting there may be multiple people involved.

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE ANY BANK DETAILS, OR TAKE ANY PHONE CALLS FROM ANYONE DISCUSSING YOUR BANK DETAILS. DO NOT ENTERTAIN ANYONE CLAIMING TO BE A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS MAKING ENQUIRIES ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT/BANK CARDS. POLICE WILL NOT CONTACT YOU ASKING YOU FOR YOUR BANK DETAILS OR MAKE ENQUIRIES ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT/MONEY. 

IF YOU SUSPECT A PROBLEM, THEN PLEASE HANG UP AND VISIT YOUR BANK AND SPEAK TO STAFF DIRECTLY. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO YOU GIVE YOUR BANK DETAILS TO STRANGERS ON THE PHONE, VIA EMAIL, VIA POST etc. 

PLEASE SPEAK TO YOUR RELATIVES THAT MAY FALL FOUL TO THIS CRIME AND MAKE THEM AWARE. SPEAK TO NEIGHBOURS TOO AND IF YOU FEEL YOU WOULD BENEFIT FROM OUR SCAM BOOK, THEN PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I SHALL GET ONE POSTED TO YOU.