POLICE are warning everyone to remain vigilant for themselves and others after criminals tricked and stole thousands of pounds from a resident in Kenilworth, 22 miles from Redditch, using the current Covid-19 emergency as a scam.
The incident happened yesterday, Monday, March 23, when the resident was called out of the blue from a telephone number which showed ‘withheld number’.
The thieves on the phone said they were police officers and wanted to do a ‘check’ concerning fraud.
They then persuaded the householder to withdraw £8,000 from their bank account, telling the resident to inform bank staff, if they questioned the withdrawal, to say the money was to be given to a relative in self-isolation due to the coronavirus emergency.
A woman, described as 5′ 2″ of medium build with dark hair then came to collect the money.
Police say:
Watch out for scam messages: Don’t click on the links or attachments in suspicious emails, and never respond to unsolicited messages or phone calls that ask for your personal or financial details.
Shopping online: If making a purchase from a company or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first before completing the purchase.
If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers insure online purchases.
For more information visit: www.actionfraud.police.uk/shoponlinesafely.
