Bank Details Check Scam

You may be aware that there have been several incidents throughout Suffolk, specifically in Ipswich and Forest Heath areas recently, where elderly people have been conned out of a total of over £30,000.

Typically the victim is contacted by someone purporting to be a Police Officer, explaining that they have been the victim of a scam whereby a large sum of money has been stolen from their bank account. The scammer explains that the police have refunded the money, but the victim needs to reimburse the police. The scammer will encourage the victim to call their bank or the police to verify the information, but it is believed that they then stay on the line so that when the victim makes a call to check, they are in fact speaking to the same person. The victim then attends their bank to collect the cash and may even have been given a cover story to tell suspicious bank staff to ensure that the cash is released. The scammer may even have told the victim that the bank is involved in the fraud, emphasising the need not to let the bank know why the money is required. Once they have the cash, a courier or taxi is sent to the address to collect the money.

We are aware that you will have your own security processes in order to protect customers. However, I am writing to inform you of this latest scam and also to ask for your support in ensuring that all of your staff are aware. Police will NEVER ask people to reimburse money in this manner. If a vulnerable or elderly person attends your bank and asks for a large quantity of cash, please consider whether the customer could be the victim of this sort of scam and mention it to the customer. Please also consider contacting the police on the customer's behalf to verify any details. Should you have reason to believe that a customer may be in the process of being scammed or vulnerable to such a scam, please call police immediately on 999.

Please download and display this poster to spread awareness of these scams and help to protect vulnerable people from criminals.

Download the poster here