Cheshire Police has issued a warning after scammers posing as police officers targeted residents in Warrington, with eight incidents reported in just 24 hours. The fraudsters contacted victims by phone, claiming they had been victims of fraud and instructing them to withdraw money for a courier.
Inspector Anna Keefe said the criminals could be 'incredibly convincing' but noted that, fortunately, no money had been handed over in the reported cases. 'These fraudsters can be very persuasive and use a variety of tactics to convince you to withdraw money,' she added.
In one incident on Thursday, an 84-year-old man was told £325 had been spent on his bank card, but he checked his account and confirmed the claim was false. An 80-year-old woman was also targeted and asked to withdraw £5,800 worth of euros from a supermarket travel counter, with instructions on what to say if staff questioned the amount.
Inspector Keefe emphasised: 'Remember, the police will never ask you to withdraw money. If you suspect you have been subjected to this type of crime, even if you hung up the phone and did not fall victim, please report it to Cheshire Police as soon as possible.'
