Merseyside Police number spoofed by fraudsters to steal bank details

Criminals are impersonating Merseyside Police detectives by spoofing the force's phone number. At least one victim has transferred a significant sum of money.

Fraudsters spoof Merseyside Police number in bank transfer scam

Criminals are spoofing Merseyside Police's phone number to deceive residents into handing over bank details and cryptocurrency information, detectives have confirmed, according to bbc.co.uk.

The force said at least one victim had transferred what it described as a significant amount of money to the fraudsters. The callers posed as detectives investigating identity theft cases in order to extract sensitive financial information from their targets.

Detective Sergeant John Causton warned that impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence. "Impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence which puts our communities at risk," he said.

Causton confirmed the force would pursue those found to be posing as officers "on people's doorsteps, on the phone or online" and take action against anyone responsible.

He reminded the public that genuine police officers carry a warrant card and hold a collar number, and that anyone uncertain about an officer's identity can verify it by contacting the police directly.

"Remember, a police officer should never ask you to disclose your PIN number or card details, either in person, on the phone or online," Causton added.

Merseyside Police urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious calls or approaches from individuals claiming to be officers.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)