The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has warned Islanders to remain vigilant in the face of a spate of scam calls.
If you are contacted by anyone and told to move your money to keep it safe, stop. This is always a scam. Criminals will tell you your money is at risk, and you need to move it to keep it safe. That is not true.
In 2023, it is estimated that victims transferred an average of £6,720 to criminals through this type of scam. But that’s just an average – they will steal whatever money is in your account.
Protect your money with some simple steps
- Screen your calls – do not answer calls from unknown or withheld numbers – if it is anyone important they will leave a message. Don’t automatically a call from a local number is trustworthy – criminals “spoof” local numbers (hide the real caller ID) to trick you into answering their calls.
- If you get a voicemail or text message purporting to be from a bank, police, HMRC, Action Fraud, or other government agency, organisation, or business – check before contacting the caller – it could be a scam.
- If the call/text is purporting to be from police – phone 101 or Contact us | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and chose “Something Else” and then “Contact a specific officer or member of staff”. It might cause a short delay, but it that delay saves you from being scammed – it’s well worth waiting.
- If the call is purporting to be from your bank/building society, dial 159 to return the call. This is a safe and secure number. It will connect you straight through to your bank or building society.
- HMRC state they will never leave a voicemail threatening legal action, or threaten arrest. For more information about HMRC scams advice see: Identify tax scam phone calls, emails and text messages - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Amazon rarely phone customers, they have a “Report a scam” page with more information: Report a scam - Amazon Customer Service
Banks, police, HMRC and other government agencies will never ask you to move money to keep it safe. No other organisation will either. If this happens, it will be a scam.
Hampshire Alerts is not a crime reporting portal – please do not report crime here.
If you realise you’ve been scammed and wish to report a fraud that has already happened, please report it to Action Fraud either phone 0300 123 2040 or online at: Action Fraud
If a crime is in progress, and/or you are in fear for yourself or someone else, and/or there is evidence in situ that could be damaged destroyed please phone 999 immediately.
Otherwise, report online, or find out about other ways to report a crime at: Report a crime | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
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