Flint resident targeted by criminals posing as police in fake undercover investigation scam

Police have issued an alert over a scam which saw fraudster target a Flint resident recently.

The scam involves criminals posing as police officers who ask their victims to take part in a fake undercover operation.

Fraudsters are contacting members of the public, usually by phone, purporting to be from the police, or in some cases the fraud team within their bank.

The criminal claims they are investigating a fraud at a local bank branch where staff are suspected of being complicit, including issuing fake bank notes, and asks their target to help in the operation.

As part of the scam, the individual is requested to visit the branch and withdraw a substantial sum, often thousands of pounds, of the supposedly counterfeit cash to hand over to the ‘police’ for ‘analysis’.

The victim is assured that the money will be deposited back into their account after the operation is complete. However, once the money is passed over the fraudster disappears with the cash.

The criminal instructs their victim not to discuss the case with anyone in the branch, giving them plausible explanations as to why they are withdrawing the money.

As a result, despite being questioned by the bank staff, the victim takes out the cash, convinced that the staff are part of a fraud.

North Wales Police say they have seen two similar incidents in the Flintshire and Denbighshire areas earlier this month which were instigated by an unsolicited telephone call.

DCI Brian Kearney, NWP Local Policing lead on fraud said;

“On 9th November a person from Denbigh was contacted by an individual purporting to be from their bank’s Fraud Department advising they transfer funds to a ‘safe account’, the following day an identical call was made to an account holder from Flint, the caller on this occasion claimed to be from the Met Police Fraud Dept.

Significant funds were transferred on both days and whilst some funds have been recovered the majority was lost to the fraudsters.”

A Police Officer will NEVER phone and ask you to transfer or withdraw funds.

In another version of the scam, the criminal convinces the victim to transfer money to a so-called ‘safe account’ to protect their funds from the ‘corrupt’ bank staff. However, the account is in fact controlled by the criminal.

Katy Worobec, Head of Fraud and Financial Crime Prevention, Cyber and Data Sharing at UK Finance said:

“This is a particularly nasty scam as it plays on people’s public-spirited nature to assist the police.

We are receiving a growing number of reports of it occurring, with people often losing large amounts of money, so it’s vital that everyone is aware. Remember, the police will never ask you to withdraw money and hand it over to them for safe-keeping.”

What to do if you receive a telephone call from someone asking you to withdraw money from your accounts:

– End the call immediately and report the incident to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk.

– Do not give personal details including banking details to anyone you do not know following unexpected requests for money made either in the street, on the doorstep, over the telephone or internet as these details can be used to steal your identity.

-Beware of cold calls even when the caller appears to have personal information such as your address or bank account details. Legitimate callers will never be offended if you ask to call back in order to confirm their identity.

-When doing so always use a phone number that you have obtained from previous correspondence or an independent source such as phone book or an official website.

-If you want to call your bank, then do so from another telephone or visit your local branch.

-If you have lost money call your local police on 101.