Beware of bogus police officers

[sundial]

Just received from E-Cops:

Message sent by
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

There has been a series of recent incidents reported to Action Fraud where a lone fraudster has approached victims whom they believe to be unfamiliar with the local area. They make an excuse to talk to the victims such as enquiring about directions or offering a recommendation for a good hotel.

After this interaction, several other fraudsters will intervene purporting to be police officers in plain clothes and will sometimes present false identification as proof. The fake officers will then give a reason to examine the victims’ wallet, purse or personal items. They may also examine the first fraudster’s items or try to tell victims that the first fraudster is suspicious in order to gain victim trust and appear more realistic in their guise.

After all the fake police ‘checks’ are finished, victims have then reported being handed back their personal items only to later realise that a quantity of money or valuables were missing.

How to protect yourself:
If an individual claims to be a police officer ask for their name and rank, force, and examine any identification presented; this is always good practice but especially important if they are not wearing a uniform.
The Police will never ask for your passwords or PIN details. Do not give this information to anyone.
The Police will never request that you withdraw/transfer any money to them or to a ‘safe’ account.
If you have been affected by this, or any other fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

dunk

[Padders]

I seriously doubt there is much truth to this, or at least a serous likelihood of encountering it. The offence of impersonating a police officer is much more serious than the theft or whatever else the buggers are up to so I think they would be better of with normal mugging or distraction robbery since they would get taken to the cleaners if caught doing this.

[ralphy]

I wouldn't think the local police force would be issuing the warning if there wasn't much truth to it?

R

[burnside]

Numerous occurrences in Central London. They tend to approach foreign tourists and ask for directions then their accomplices arrive and pretend to be Policemen and tell them that the man that was asking them directions is a suspected drug dealer.

They ask to check the tourists bags and then leave more often than not the the foreign tourist doesn't find out anything is missing until they get back to the Hotel.

[sundial]

I seriously doubt there is much truth to this, or at least a serous likelihood of encountering it. The offence of impersonating a police officer is much more serious than the theft or whatever else the buggers are up to so I think they would be better of with normal mugging or distraction robbery since they would get taken to the cleaners if caught doing this.

Your doubt is wishful thinking unless you have evidence that E-cops are circulating falsehoods. I have been approached by several fraudsters during the last 10 years including twice by the same person in Southgate London N14 and twice by different people in Peterborough using the same confidence trick. Distraction fraud has been going on for years and victims are chosen carefully.

dunk

[VDG]

Just tell them that your are a part of the special NCA counter fraud unit working undercover with the local XX force and give them your badge number to call in/do PNC chk if they have any questions.

[SteveR]

Cash or valuables? Haha good luck with that one chaps.

[Padders]

Your doubt is wishful thinking unless you have evidence that E-cops are circulating falsehoods. I have been approached by several fraudsters during the last 10 years including twice by the same person in Southgate London N14 and twice by different people in Peterborough using the same confidence trick. Distraction fraud has been going on for years and victims are chosen carefully.

dunk

On reflection I did word my earlier post badly, I don't in fact suggest that the bulletin is a lie. I do however think it unlikely that most of us are at risk of falling victim to this particular scam, in the UK at least (but I wouldn't put it past those robbing b'stards on Las Ramblas). To be clear, I am speaking specifically of a scam involving fake police. I can't speak for the fleshpots of the smoke where naive tourists may well be preyed upon in this fashion but I can say with some confidence that this kind of scam isn't common in the midlands, having asked someone with CID here who hasn't heard of it, and would have since impersonation of a fed is frowned upon in the strongest terms. There is a spate of rather nasty car jackings going on at present locally mind which are more of an immediate concern.

Action Fraud are not the world's most effective or reliable outfit in my experience so perhaps that clouded my earlier judgement.

[Roberto]

A colleague of mine got done by this exact scam when I was working out in Moscow. Ten years ago, that was.

[number2]

Ah the old IPO mob.

[hilly10]

Your doubt is wishful thinking unless you have evidence that E-cops are circulating falsehoods. I have been approached by several fraudsters during the last 10 years including twice by the same person in Southgate London N14 and twice by different people in Peterborough using the same confidence trick. Distraction fraud has been going on for years and victims are chosen carefully.

dunk

That's an amazing amount of times to be targeted, you must look gullible.