South Holland Police has urged people to be ‘extra vigilant’ following a report of courier fraud.
Officers made the appeal after a victim near to the area in Cambridgeshire received a call from a person imitating an officer that came up as the phone number for Lincolnshire Police’s HQ.
Claiming that the victim’s ID was used to open bank accounts fraudulently in North Wales, the suspect sent fake ID to back up the claim on WhatsApp and made the victim buy Apple iTunes gift cards and send them to him.
The real police were alerted after officers Holbeach didn’t attend at 10.30am the next day as the suspect said.
A police spokesman said: “Your bank or the police will never call you to ask you to verify your personal details or PIN by phone or offer to pick up your card by courier.
“They won’t contact you out of the blue to participate in an investigation in which you need to withdraw money, nor will they send a courier to your home.
“Hang up, use a different phone if you have one (these criminals keep the line open whilst you dial, misleading you into thinking you are talking to your bank) and call your bank on a number you know to be genuine.
“If in doubt call the police on 101 and report the incident, if a courier is at your door call the police on 999.”
