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People in Maine are being warned of a new telephone scam that is sweeping the United Kingdom and could be set to hit the United States.
Maine residents should beware if they receive a call from an apparent police officer who says your bank card has been cloned or that money has been taken from your account. The scam, which has been conning people across the UK, involves the “police officer,” then asking the victim to either hand over their bank details, transfer funds or withdraw cash for collection.
Chelsea Davies, business development manager at CPR Call Blocker, a company that makes devices that can be set to block certain phone calls, said, “In our experience of working across the US and UK, scams spread quickly across the pond, so it is sensible for people in Maine to be on their guard as we have no doubt that fraudsters operating in the U.S. will soon start using these tactics.
She added, “It’s important to remember that police officers and bank officials will never ask you to withdraw or transfer money or hand over private banking details. We ask that friends, relatives and neighbors of seniors help us spread the message to prevent anyone falling victim to this scam.”
Tips to prevent becoming a victim of this scam and other telephone scams include:
* Hang up if you ever have any doubts about someone who has called you.
* Ensure the line has been terminated before making any further calls. You can tell if the dial tone is present or by using another phone. * Never give out your PIN, banks will never ask for it.
* Never give bank cards to anyone at your door, even if they say they’re from the bank.
“In the meantime, if you suspect you may have compromised your account, contact your bank or card provider as soon as possible,” Davies said. “It’s also advisable to check your bank and card statements regularly for unauthorised charged as a matter of course.”
