We’re warning the public after a significant increase in reported impersonation scams across the North East with scammers claiming to be either bank officials or police officers.

Similar to the crime type known as ‘Courier Fraud’ but without the need for a courier, this crime trend tends to targets vulnerable or elderly people - nationally victims are losing an average of £5,318.

Fraudsters are calling victims pretending to be either their bank or police officers and claim the victim’s bank account is at risk and ask them to move their money to a ‘safe account’. They may ask their victim to download an app to help move the money safely, but the victim is actually handing account access to a criminal.

When masquerading as a police officer, the fraudster will usually tell their victim they need their help with a police investigation involving their bank, then similarly ask for money to be moved to another account, to help ‘catch’ a criminal. In some cases, the ‘police officer’ claim someone has been apprehended using their accounts.

Alternatively, the scammer claims to be from the victim’s bank and say a payment is pending out of the account for a large amount which they believe to be fraudulent. They ask the victim to enter or supply a verification code which then allows the transactions to occur – transferring the money to the scammer.

Our advice is clear:

• Hang up or end the call. No one legitimate will ever contact you out of the blue, demanding money or information. Hang up. It’s a scam.

• Don’t believe anyone who says you need to move your money to keep it safe. Only a scammer would say that.
• Never give remote access to your computer or device to someone who has called you unexpectedly.

• If you are unsure a call is from your bank, most banking apps have a function where you can request a notification is sent to your app to prove the call is genuine.
• Don’t feel pressured to act immediately. Slow down. Talk to someone you trust before you act.
• Don’t share your personal or financial information with someone who calls unexpectedly. Never give your temporary access code, PIN, debit/credit card number, or account number to a suspicious caller. Your bank will never ask you for this information.

Report any concerns or suspicions to Action Fraud or find out more about staying safe from scammers by visiting their website.