Scam callers targeting elderly and vulnerable in Shropshire

Officers say the scammers are targeting elderly or vulnerable people in Shropshire, pretending to be from the police and telling callers that their bank card has been used fraudulently.

Often the callers say they are from the Metropolitan police, but they have also been known to claim they are from West Mercia Police, MI6 or the fraud squad.

Sometimes they will ask the caller to contact their bank, but remain on the line in order to obtain bank details, before sending a courier to collect the card.

On other occasions they have asked the victims to transfer money to a secure police account, asking them to call back to verify that they are genuine, whilst holding the line.

Sometimes they have told the victims to attend the bank to transfer money but told them that bank employees are involved in the scam, so not to mention it to them.

More recently callers have told victims that they are from Customs and Excise and that they have paid too much tax.

In order to get this back they must pay an amount of money via a courier.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Bower said there had been two reported scamming attempts in Dawley and Wellington on Tuesday, following a reported attempt to con a man in Bucknell, near Ludlow, last week.

None of those called handed any details over.

But DCI Bower said: "West Mercia Police take these scams extremely seriously.

"The scammers will try a number of different tactics and we'd ask people to share the following advice, particularly with any elderly friends or relatives.

"Never hand out any personal details over the phone. Remember that the genuine police or the banks, would never ask for your PIN, ask you to transfer money to them or send a courier to collect your cards.

"If you do receive a call like this please hang up immediately and call 101 from a different phone.

"If there is a crime in progress, please call 999."