Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
People across Devon are being warned to beware of fraudsters posing as police officers and using spoofed telephone numbers to make their calls appear genuine.
The scammers claim to be assisting with a criminal investigation and attempt to persuade people to disclose sensitive personal or financial information. In some cases, they have also supplied fake crime reference numbers to make their stories more convincing.
Devon and Cornwall Police said fraudsters could be persuasive and demanding, with victims sometimes instructed not to tell friends or family because they are supposedly helping with an investigation.
Dan Thorogood, head of contact services for Devon and Cornwall Police, warned people not to assume a call was genuine simply because the number displayed on their phone appeared to belong to the police.
“Fraudsters can be very convincing as well as persuasive and demanding,” he said.
“Victims are often told to not tell their friends or family that they are ‘helping’ with an investigation.
“Genuine police officers will never call out of the blue to ask you to hand over sensitive personal details.
“You should always verify who the person is before passing any information and should not rely on caller ID to do so.”
Similar scams have been reported elsewhere in the country, with criminals using the telephone numbers of different police forces to give their calls an air of authenticity.
Police are reminding the public that neither officers nor bank staff or fraud departments will ask people to transfer money, buy items, disclose card details, withdraw cash or hand money to a courier as part of an investigation.
Anyone who receives a suspicious call should hang up and avoid providing personal or financial information. People are advised to contact a trusted friend or relative to ensure the telephone line has been cleared before contacting their bank or the police.
Anyone who has disclosed their account number details should contact their bank immediately.
Suspicious calls and information about suspected fraud can be reported to Devon and Cornwall Police by calling 101 or through the force’s website.
Fraud can also be reported to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
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