Force warning public to be on guard for police-themed telephone con
Brazen conmen have been impersonating police in an attempt to dupe people out of cash.
The caller pretends to be from Tayside Police.
- Published in the Courier : 13.02.12
- Published online : 13.02.12 @ 11.07am
Tayside Police has issued a warning for people to be on their guard following a spate of telephone calls aimed at defrauding householders.
A police spokesman explained: ''Tayside Police have received several calls from residents in the Perth and Kinross region who advise that they have received a telephone call from persons pretending to be a Tayside police officer and seeking payment for placing an advert in a police magazine.
''Tayside Police staff are not connected with those calls in any way and would like to remind members of the community to treat such calls with suspicion and not to enter into any agreement or part with any money.
''Tayside Police are actively investigating this incident and would ask any persons receiving such telephone calls or who may have information regarding who is responsible to contact them 0300 111 2222, or call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or alternatively speak to any officer.''
It is the second attempted fraudulent scheme involving telephone calls to have come to light in Perthshire in recent days. At the start of the month trading standards warned residents to be aware of a foreign fraudster who was said to have an accent like comedy character Borat.
Posing as a civil servant the caller, who refers to himself as Mike Miller, contacted homeowners in Crieff and Auchterarder by phone.
Claiming to be from the Ministry of Justice, the man said the recipients of the call were due a tax rebate of £2,800. He told them this would be paid as soon as his office received £100 for administrative purposes.
No-one is believed to have fallen victim to the scam so far, but communities are being warned to be on their guard and to notify elderly neighbours and family members.
Police warned at the time that no-one should give out personal or bank details to an unsolicited caller. The calls are believed to have originated in Kazakhstan.
Add a comment