Warrington residents advised caution following scam text and call incident

Cheshire Police's Economic Crime Unit have issued advice to residents and urged caution following reports that vulnerable people have been targeted by scammers.

On Wednesday 27 November, officers from Cheshire Police received a call from a 69-year-old woman in Latchford, Warrington.

The caller reported that she had received a text from an unknown number that had claimed to be her son, stating that he was in trouble and that he needed her to send him money.

The woman went on to say that she was later called by a different number, with the speaker telling her that they had her son with him and that they would harm him if she did not transfer money to them. She was provided with bank account details and then transferred £1000 to the account.

It was later confirmed that the woman's son was not in any danger and that she had fallen victim to a scammer.

Police Constable Matthew Jennings, Warrington West Beat Manager, said:

“This is a shocking incident in which an elderly resident was, in essence, held to ransom by these cold and calculating scammers who created a sense of panic, leaving her to feel that she had no option but to transfer a considerable amount of money to ensure the safety of her son. As it transpires, she had been scammed.

“Those who commit courier fraud can be very convincing, but there are several ways to prevent fraud, and I would advise you to become familiar with these tips.

“Please share them with any elderly or vulnerable family members or friends to ensure they don’t become victims themselves.”

Here are some safety tips to help prevent fraud:

• Never provide personal or financial information to someone you don't know, especially over the phone.
• If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately.
• If the caller pressures you to hurry up with the transfer of money, this is a likely indication that the person you are speaking to is not genuine.
• Never withdraw large sums of money based on instructions from someone claiming to be from the police or a bank.
• Scammers use software to have any number they wish to appear on your phone’s caller ID screen. This method, known as ‘spoofing’, means they can appear to be calling from a legitimate number linked to a person or company, when in fact they are not - be cautious.
• If you believe that you have fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank directly using a known and trusted phone number to verify any requests for money or sensitive information. You can also call police on 101.

Remember that if you’re a victim of a scam or an attempted scam, however minor, there may be hundreds or thousands of others in a similar position. Your information may form part of one big jigsaw and be vital to completing the picture.

If you think you’ve uncovered a scam, been targeted by a scam or fallen victim to fraudsters, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or at Action Fraud. Alternatively, call police on 101 if you know the suspect or they’re still in the area.