Alert from Trading Standards

Courier Fraud, Bogus Police and Bank Officials Alert

Individuals have been receiving phone calls from people claiming to be a police officer or banking official

The suspect will say either:

• There has been fraudulent activity at the victim’s bank and the staff at the bank are involved, the

victim is then asked to withdraw money to either keep it safe or assist the police with their

investigation

• A business such as a jewellers or currency exchange is fraudulent and they require the victim's

assistance to help secure evidence by purchasing jewellery or exchange a large amount of currency

to hand over to the police

• The victim's card has been compromised and used to purchase goods by a suspect, the victim is

requested to withdraw their money to keep it safe or hand over their bank card to the police

• Occasionally the victim will be told to dial a non-emergency extension of ‘161’ to receive

confirmation of the individual’s bogus identity, the bogus official will advise the victim to lie about the

reason for the withdrawal or purchase if challenged by staff, as the staff member is involved in the

fraud

• A courier attends the victim’s home address to collect the goods the same day; often the victim is

given a code word for the courier as a way of authentication

Your bank or the police will never:

• Phone and ask you for your PIN or full banking password

• Ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping

• Ask you to transfer money out of your account

• Send someone to your home to collect cash, PINs, cards to cheque books

Michael Walters

Senior Consumer Services Officer

Trading Standards, Licensing & Environmental Health Commercial

Housing and Safer Communities Directorate

Royal Borough of Greenwich