Scammers pose as police to target elderly - force

Scammers have continued to defraud the "elderly and vulnerable" by posing as police, senior officers have said.

Suffolk Police has received at least seven reports of residents being called by fraudsters pretending to be officers from the force between 28-29 January.

The victims were told of fraudulent activity on their bank accounts and then reassured to withdraw cash to hand over to a courier - something the police said they would never ask someone to do.

Earlier this month the force was made aware of two people who had been targeted by the same scam.

Some of the most recent victims were from Woodbridge, Framlingham, Bury St Edmunds, and Sudbury, the force added.

Det Con John Payne, from the force's Fraud Assessment Unit, said banks and the police would never contact an individual to withdraw or transfer money.

"If you don't think they are 100% who they say they are just hang the phone up, wait a few minutes, and then give the police a call on 101 or call your bank," he told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"If it gets to the stage where they do attend your address, don't let them in, but if it's a police officer we would always carry our warrant card, so always ask for that.

"We want to keep people safe so we are more than happy if you want to verify our identification - that's absolutely not a problem for a genuine police officer."

The fake officers also give their name and collar number in a bid to make themselves appear more genuine to their target.

Det Con Payne said: "They move the scam on by being pretty much unstopping in their rhetoric, and they will move on very quickly by asking you for information," he said.

"In Suffolk, in the last month or two, we have had a bit of rise. A lot of them have been stopped fairly early on."

On some occasions the victims were also asked to hand over their bank cards to a courier.

Det Sgt Jamie Adams, also from the fraud assessment unit, has called on the community to warn their elderly and vulnerable neighbours and family members.

"I would ask you to inform them of this guidance and to check with someone they trust if contacted in a similar manner," he said.

"These are crimes done by the absolute worst in society, preying on the vulnerable, the elderly, and those that trust services such as police and banks the most."

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