Sussex Police Warning About Phone Call Frauds

Sussex Police are issuing an urgent warning to residents, especially the elderly and anyone living alone, not to be taken in by fraudsters who are calling people, posing as police officers or bank staff and asking for bank and card details.

Within the last few days there have been three more cases in Sussex, in two of which money was obtained. Local police have, in the past week, also received a number of reports in Brighton and Hove.

On, Tuesday 11 February, phone calls were made to six addresses in Brighton. In five cases the residents became suspicious and did not part with anything but in the sixth case, in Lloyd Close, Hove, the thieves managed to obtain £2500.

Late on Wednesday evening, 12 February, calls were made to two residents in Brighton. A woman living in Kimberley Road was defrauded of £600 cash, but a couple living in Ainsworth Avenue, Ovingdean, were suspicious of the caller and did not part with any details or cards.

The fraudsters call the intended victim claiming to be from either the Police or a Bank. They tell them that their card details have been fraudulently used and that they need to act urgently to protect themselves. They suggest that they hang up and ring the bank or police back to ensure that the call is genuine.

Don't be fooled - they stay on the line and pretend to be the police or the bank. They then tell the intended victim to key in or read out their PIN number.

They will then send a taxi or courier, who may know nothing about the crime, to collect the bank card. With this and the PIN they will then have full access to your money.

There has been a recent rise in this crime across the force area, and elsewhere in the country. In Sussex there have been 24 crimes since last August, in which fraudsters have got away with more than £150,000.

Under no circumstances would the police or your bank request your pin number over the telephone or arrange collection of your bank cards from your home address in this manner.

Never give out your bank details to someone who has contacted you on your home phone unsolicited. If you have any suspicions please do not use the phone you have just been called on to contact the police or your bank. If possible use another phone to contact the police to report it, or to contact a friend to relative to alert them.

If you have any information, whether you have received similar calls or know someone who has been a victim of this crime, contact Sussex Police via 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting 'Operation Edisto'.

You can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.