We at Careline would like to inform Bolton residents of the news from The Bolton News that fake police officers are targeting the elderly. The fraud police seem to be targeting residents of Radcliffe specifically, but it’s best to be cautious regardless.
Officers on the GMP Radcliffe Twitter page put out a warning and advised that people should always check to see ID cards of anyone claiming to be from law enforcement. Once you have checked the ID card you can call 101 to check it’s legit.
It seems the fake police officers are visiting elderly residents and trying to scam them out of money by requesting their pin numbers and bank details. As pointed out by the police officers on Twitter, official police officers will never ask you for this information or ask you to withdraw money.
Tips for the elderly at home
- Scams can be elaborate – It’s not surprising that many people become victims of fraud, scammers can be incredibly convincing and clever. The fake police officers may call you about a fraud investigation and tell you that they will send an officer out to you. When they turn up at your house it would be easy to trust who they say they are and give them any information they need. But you mustn’t do this, real police will not request your bank information and pin numbers.
- Check their ID – Before letting anyone into the house ask to see their ID and go back inside to call 101 to check it’s real. An official officer would understand your hesitation. If you aren’t provided with any ID to check do not let them into your home, you have the right to refuse them entry.
- Hang-up – If the person on the other end of the line does not sound legit then the best option is to just hang-up. This will stop the fraudsters before they can try and convince you to either sign-up to something with your bank details, or to pass over your home address.
- Record the number – Make a copy of the telephone number which you feel may have been a hoax call. On mobile devices there may be a way of blocking this number so that they cannot get through to you again. With a modern house phone you can also have caller Id displayed – so simply don’t answer if you recognise that it could be a hoax caller.
- Report anything suspicious – It can feel embarrassing to be a victim of fraud, but unfortunately these people will scam people out of money if they aren’t informed. If you think you or a loved one has been targeted make sure you report it. You can call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
Let Careline know if you or a loved one in Bolton have been affected by fake police scams. You can Tweet us @Careline365.
