Police are urging residents to be vigilant to cold callers claiming to be police officers following a further incident in the Horsham St. Faith area.
It comes after previous incidents in recent months where elderly residents have been targeted in Wymondham, Norwich, Gorleston, Winterton, Great Yarmouth and Potter Heigham.
On each occasion the victims received a call on from someone claiming to be a ‘Detective Sergeant John Carod’ or a ‘Detective Sergeant John Witmore’ either stating he needed help with an investigation or officers had intercepted some males who had her credit card details.
The suspect then asks for victims to withdraw a large sum of money from their local bank or to put together gold and jewellery items and they would arrange for them to be collected, mainly by taxi.
Investigating officer, Detective Inspector Chris Burgess of Norwich CID, urged for residents to be vigilant to this scam.
He said: “We’re urging members of the public, particularly the elderly who are primarily being targeted, to be vigilant to cold calls made on the telephone.
“Genuine police officers or staff would never approach residents and ask for cash withdrawals to be made or for people to purchase items on their behalf.
“I would ask people with vulnerable relatives, friends or neighbours to make sure they are aware of this type of scam.”
Officers have this advice:
- Never give out personal information about your bank account to anybody over the phone.
- If someone calls claiming to be a police officer, ask for their identification number and police force. Hang up and call 101 using a different phone. If you can’t use a different phone, wait at least five minutes before calling back. A genuine police officer will not mind waiting while you check.
- Police and banks will never ask you to give out personal details such as account numbers or PIN numbers.
- If you have given out information which could compromise your bank account security in any way, call your bank to cancel your cards as soon as possible.
- Never hand over money to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere.
Anyone with concerns about such calls should contact Norfolk Police on the non-emergency number 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress. Alternatively, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.