Police Warn After Impersonator Poses as Officer to Obtain Woman’s Bank Cards

A police force has issued a public warning following an incident where a fraudster, posing as a police officer, obtained a woman’s bank cards. Cumbria Police reported that a woman residing in Barrow initially received a call from an individual purporting to be from her bank, who informed her that her existing card had expired and a replacement was necessary. The following day, a man arrived at her residence, identifying himself as a police officer. He stated that he needed to conduct fingerprint checks on her cards and additionally offered to secure her jewellery for safekeeping. The police force advised that individuals should exercise caution if they receive unsolicited calls. The man subsequently departed with the bank cards, according to police. He later returned them by mail through the letterbox, but only after conducting multiple transactions using the cards. Officers cautioned that this fraud aligns with a “pattern” of similar incidents where fraudsters impersonate officials, including bank fraud teams, police officers, or HMRC officials. They urged residents in Cumbria to disseminate this information among any vulnerable friends or family members. Police stated that fraudsters frequently solicit bank details, request electronic transfer of funds, instruct cash withdrawals from banks for subsequent collection, or demand the purchase of costly items for later retrieval. The force emphasized that its officers and other legitimate agencies would never make such requests. Guidance on fraud prevention is available via the BBC’s Scam Safe week resources. For those affected by fraud, assistance is available through the BBC’s Action Line. For further updates, follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.