01453 telephone numbers are currently being targeted by fraudsters purporting to be the police.
Four incidents were recorded by Gloucestershire police yesterday involving a fraudster who had telephoned local residents purporting to be “PC Thomas Daniels from Paddington Police Station”. The fraudster asked victims to assist in a “covert police operation” by withdrawing cash at their bank. The victims were told that the cash was counterfeit and had to be handed over to a “police courier”. One victim – age 74 – handed over £6300 to the fraudsters.
The police will never ask you to hand over cash, bank cards, or other items. If you receive a call like this, hang up straight away and use a different phone to contact the police to report the incident. If you don’t have access to another telephone, contact a friend or relative first, to ensure that the fraudster has not stayed on the line.