Police impersonation fraud on the rise in Lincolnshire after widow told her husband's card was cloned

Lincolnshire Police are urging people to stay vigilant after an increase in police impersonation fraud in the county.

This is a scam that involves the offender calling individuals claiming to be a police officer.

Often the caller states they are from a London-based police force and make reference to their alleged rank as either a police constable or as a detective.

They begin the call by stating they are investigating fraudulent activity on the victims’ bank account and that they have arrested someone as a result. They then try to convince the victim to help them solve the crime by sharing their bank details.

On Monday (June 8), an elderly victim at home in Grantham received a call from an alleged police officer from Hammersmith Police, claiming her husband’s card had been cloned and used. However, the call came to an end after the victim said her husband had been dead for a number of years.

There have also been a number of similar fraud attempts in Grantham and Lincoln in the last week. Thankfully, all potential victims realised the call was a scam and quickly terminated the calls. There have been no successful money transfers so far.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said: "If you receive a call you’re not expecting, please remain vigilant. Hang up the phone immediately and report the call to us on 101 on a different line.

"We’d urge for you to share this information with your friends and family, especially older relatives. This crime has a devastating impact on people so please report any calls to police or Action Fraud."

The advice is:

*Never give out your bank cards, pin or other bank details – your bank and the police will never ask for this

*Never withdraw money and send it to them via a courier or by any other means

*Hang up immediately if you have any doubts about someone who called you

*Some phone companies offer call screening services that can be effective in blocking cold callers.

*If you suspect you’ve been the victim of fraud, you can also report this to Action Fraud on 0300 1232040.

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