Warning about scam call pretending to be from your bank

People in the New Mills and Buxton areas - particularly with the postcode SK22 - are being warned about a scam call pretending to be from your bank which has led to people losing a lot of money.

Police say they have had an increased number of calls about the scam over the past few weeks. 

The call is from someone pretending to be a representative of your bank's fraud department. The person will alert you to the fact an amount of money has been debited from your account.

They will ask you to provide a mobile number so they can call or text on a number that appears to be your bank and you will probably be asked to look at the back of your bank card to prove it is the same number, in an attempt to make the call appear more legitimate and gain your confidence.

Fraudsters use a technique referred to as spoofing, allowing them to disguise their number and make the victim believe they are receiving a call from a trusted source. The caller will encourage you transfer your money to a safe account that has already been set up.

The caller knows the transfer process extremely well and pre-empts each step, in a bid to further gain your trust. In some cases when a transfer cannot be done via internet banking, you will be encouraged to visit the bank to carry out a transaction. In these cases, you will be advised to tell no one and a provide a false story as to why the transaction is to be carried out.

Police from Buxton's Safer Neighbourhood Team say they are aware that a number of different names have been used by the scammer, including Joseph Parker, Joe Parker and Catherine Hibbert.

Anyone who receives such a call shouldn't give out any personal information and hang up the call immediately. 

People are reminded that the police or a bank will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account for fraud or investigation reasons, even if they say it is in your name.

The police or bank will never send someone to your home to collect cash, pin, cards or cheque books. 

Fraudsters often target geographical areas where they know elderly or vulnerable people live, so people are being urged to make any family or friends you may have who are vulnerable in any way aware of this scam. 

Anyone who receives a call of this nature is being asked to contact police as soon as possible so they can assess the area that is being targeted, alert banks and endeavour to protect other local residents to prevent any financial loss. 

You can do so via the following methods: 
• Facebook – send a private message to /DerbyshireConstabulary
• Twitter – direct message the contact centre on @DerPolContact
• Website – complete the online contact form at www.derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us.
• Phone – call 101 

You can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing can also text on 07800 002414 or email deafsms@derbyshire.pnn.police.uk.