Police warning about telephone scams

The following warnings about currently common types of scam are included in this month's Palmers Green Safer Neighbourhood News.

The most common scam is the one shown above in the picture.

Protecting your card details is vital.

Card scams involve the use of stolenor counterfeit cards to make direct purchases or cash withdrawals or the use of stolen card details to buy items over the phone or via the internet.

What you should know

Phone:

Your bank and the police will never ring you and tell you that they are coming to your home to collect your card, so never hand it over to anyone who comes to collect it. Should you receive a call like this put the phone down.  THIS IS A SCAM.

Depending on who you bank with, the security questions asked by the bank may vary (e.g. the last 4 digits of your account number of digits or your password) but your bank will NEVER ask you to authorize anything by entering your PIN into the telephone.

ATM - Cash Machines:

• NEVER share your PIN with anyone - the only time you should use your PIN is at a cash machine or when you use a chip and PIN machine in a shop.
• If there is anything unusual about the cash machine or there are signs of tampering, do not use it and report it to the bank as soon as possible.
• Do not get distracted. Be particularly cautious if ‘well-meaning’ strangers try to distract you or offer to help you and most importantly, discreetly put your money and card away before leaving the cash machine.
• Cover you PIN. Stand close to the machine and always use your free hand to cover the keypad as you enter your PIN. This will prevent any prying eyes or hidden cameras seeing it.

A recent serious case in Enfield

Recently an elderly victim was convinced by a very professional sounding phone fraudster that the bank manager at an Enfield bank was being investigated as he was putting fake bank notes through the bank. The victim was asked to withdraw a large amount of money from the bank so that the investigators could check the money was real.

The fraudster rang her before she went in and told her to keep the line open on her mobile phone so he could hear the exchange between the victim and the bank staff. The victim received the money and handed it over to the person sent to meet her around the corner.

A couple of days later she was asked to repeat the same thing but not at the same branch as they suspected that it was also happening at another branch. The victim went through the same routine again for another large amount of money and again handed it over.

Again a couple of days later the victim was asked to repeat the same thing again at a third branch but the bank staff this time persuaded the victim that she was being scammed. By this time a large amount of money had been handed over.

The "Microsoft" scam

Another common scam is the where you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft saying they have detected a problem with your computer saying it’s causing problems for the network and they can fix it. They ask to be connected to your computer and can then had viruses or access your files. They also ask for payment for the fix they have so called installed.

10 GOLDEN RULES

Remember these 10 golden rules to help you beat the scammers.

1. There are no guaranteed get-rich-quick schemes.
2. Do not agree to offers or deals straight away. If you think you have spotted a great opportunity, insist on time to obtain independent/legal advice before making a decision.
3. Do not hand over money or sign anything until you have checked the credentials of the company that you are dealing with.
4. Never send money or give bank or personal details to anyone you do not know or trust. This includes sending money abroad and using methods of payment that you are not comfortable with.
5. Log directly on to a website that you are interested in rather than clicking on links provided in an email.
6. Do not rely on glowing testimonials: find solid independent evidence of a company’s success.
7. Always get independent/legal advice if an offer involves money time or commitment.
8. If you spot a scam of have been scammed, report it and get help. Contact ActionFraud on 0300 123 2040, online at actionfraud.police.uk or the Police in your area.
9. Always remember: scammers are cunning and clever. They know how to manipulate you to produce the response they want.
10. Be suspicious. If you are unsure about anything, seek independent/legal advice.

For more advice you can download the Little Book of Big Scams.