Scam Warning from PRN

[stacey-lyn]

Don't want to add to the doom & gloom but this is a useful bulletin we received today from the Peckham Residents' Network.

Message from Southwark Council and Southwark Police

The Council Warden service is working along side the Police in trying to raise awareness to the ongoing Courier fraudsters and we would be grateful for any help you could give.

The fraud works by the suspect telephoning the victim and claiming to be someone from an authority - usually the police, bank or Serious Fraud Office. They tell them that their bank account has been compromised and their card must be collected. The most convincing element of the ruse is that the suspect instructs the victim to hang up and call the police/bank/Serious Fraud Office on a genuine number to check that they are who they say they are. The victim dials the new number but the fraudster does not disconnect so, unknown to the victim, they are still speaking to the suspect or a co-conspirator.

The fraudster then convinces the victim to reveal their PIN, usually by typing it in on their keypad. The suspect is able to tell which keys have been pressed. They then instruct the victim to put their bank card in an envelope and send a - usually unwitting - courier or taxi driver to the victim's house to collect it. The card is delivered to another suspect and is used, with the PIN, to empty the victim's bank account.

Police have identified that Criminal Groups are behind the fraud but despite arresting many of these, courier fraud is continuing as new Criminal Groups take over and convince victims that they are genuine. The ongoing scam has impacted every borough and claimed 2,229 victims - mostly elderly - in two years.

We aim to help stop residents becoming victims by showing them how the fraud works and teaching them the key crime prevention pointers. These are:

- Police and banks will never ask for your PIN or bank card

- Never give your PIN or bank card to anyone

- If you are contacted by someone who asks for these, hang up

- Use a different line to report it to police on 101 or allow at least five minutes for the line to automatically clear. Call 999 if the crime is in action.

Any help you could give by sharing this information would be greatly appreciated. A poster for display is attached.

Thank you

Paul Murphy

Community Warden Team Leader,

Community Safety and Enforcement

Southwark Council

www.southwark.gov.uk

Paul.Murphy2@Southwark.gov.uk

Tel: 07930 201535

[the-e-dealer]

Yes it hit E Dulwich a while back and there are threads detailing victim's experiences. E Dulwich being the Crime Capital of London!

[wongo]

If you are asked to hang up and call a number back straightaway, to be safe, use a different phone to do it.

[the-e-dealer]

Or call a friends number first to check the hone is working ok.

[intexasatthe moment]

I've just had a phone call from "on line fraud " or somesuch querying suspicious activity on my account .

Quoted 2 transactions taking place today on my Visa account - flat screen tv and a camera .

Asked me to go and check if the card was still in my possession ,when I said I knew I hadn't lost it he asked me if I had it in my hand .

When I said no ,and that that I wasn't going to get it he hung up .

Apart from a very fake posh accent he also fleetingly referred to a Mr Intexas ( my partner has different surname ) so I was suspicious from start .

Thinking now perhaps I shouldn't highlight the errors in his call .....they might read and learn .

[the-e-dealer]

I guess its worth getting them round with the courier and giving them an old card . That way it costs them !

[sandyman]

the-e-dealer Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I guess its worth getting them round with the

> courier and giving them an old card . That way it

> costs them !

Or if it's a cab get in the cab with the card yourself...

...surely once you know it's a scam you should play along with it and then when the courier comes you've got an address ? maybe even a name? ? where the card is being delivered to to give to the police?

[LondonMix]

Yes, I think the advice from the police was that if the crime was on-going to call 999 so that the police could try to capture the criminals.

[Sue]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've just had a phone call from "on line fraud "

> or somesuch querying suspicious activity on my

> account .

>

> Quoted 2 transactions taking place today on my

> Visa account - flat screen tv and a camera .

>

> Asked me to go and check if the card was still in

> my possession ,when I said I knew I hadn't lost it

> he asked me if I had it in my hand .

> When I said no ,and that that I wasn't going to

> get it he hung up .

>

> Apart from a very fake posh accent he also

> fleetingly referred to a Mr Intexas ( my partner

> has different surname ) so I was suspicious from

> start .

>

> Thinking now perhaps I shouldn't highlight the

> errors in his call .....they might read and learn

> .

xxxxxx

Whilst not suggesting that wasn't a scam in your case, when I did in fact have my card stolen from my purse without my knowledge the bank's fraud people did phone me and more or less say exactly that (though without mentioning a Mr Sue, but then there isn't one :)) )

[edcam]

Put a turd in the envelope. That'd been fun.

[hsy123]

thanks for the information i will keep it in mind