Warning regarding banking scam

Lambeth Borough Police are warning of a fraud which is being perpetrated in the borough.

Some elderly residents have received a phone call, purporting to be from their bank. The caller asks details about their bank account, including the pin number for their card, to verify that they are the account holder.

The victim is then told that there is a problem with their card and the bank will send a courier to collect it.

When the card is collected, money is later withdrawn from the victim’s account.

Officers from Lambeth Borough Police are currently investigating a number of instances of this.

All residents, particularly the elderly, are warned not to divulge information such as pin numbers for cash or credit cards to anyone, especially over the telephone. Banks will never ask for this information. Banks will never send a courier to collect your bank card if there is a problem with it.

If you receive a call that purports to be from your bank and you are suspicious, ask the caller for their name and a reference number and tell them you will call them back. When returning the call, use a published telephone number from correspondence you know to have come from your bank or from their website.

Police are keen to speak to anyone who has any information regarding this fraud. Anyone who has been a victim of this, but has not yet reported the matter to police should do so by calling the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.