Bogus police officers scam over £118,000 out of Peterborough residents in increasing series of incidents targeting elderly households

Of the 27 across Cambridgeshire in recent weeks, 15 incidents were in Peterborough, all the Peterborough victims are aged in their late 60s to 90s.

The fraudsters are thought to have been successful in conning £78,000 worth of goods and cash, including watches and apple products, from Peterborough residents. However, Cambridgeshire Police has already recovered some of this amount.

Officers investigating a series of fraud incidents have released images of a car they believe to be involved and are warning residents to be aware of this type of scam.

In the past few weeks there have been 15 incidents in Peterborough of bogus police officers asking people for money.

In one incident a man pretending to be a police officer called the victim and told them they were investigating criminal activity on the victim’s bank card, which was linked to an inside job at NatWest Bank.

The victim was asked to withdraw £5,000 and hand it over to a police officer, who would collect it from him with a code word.

The victim asked to see identification from the police officer, but was told it was an undercover operation and the officer would not be able to identify himself.

The victim felt this was suspicious so refused to hand over the money, but he was told he would be ‘arrested under section 84 for refusing to cooperate with a police enquiry.’

The bogus officer arrived in a hatchback car, believed to be on fake plates, and the victim handed over the £5,000 in cash.

The suspect who collected the money is described as Asian, around 6’ to 6’6”, with brown hair.

Detective Constable Louise Mann said "Your bank and the Police will never ask you to withdraw cash , reveal your Pin number or passwords or purchase high value goods that they will then collect from your home address.

"If you believe you have been a victim of fraud you should contact Action Fraud any time of the day or night using their online fraud reporting tool or by calling 0300 123 2040.

"Please make sure that you inform all you elderly family members who do not have access to our online messages."

Anyone who has seen the car or who has information regarding this incident should call police on 101 quoting CF0087850218 or visit www.cambs.police.uk/report. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org