A PHONE scammer is posing as a States police officer and has cloned the force’s crime reporting number in an apparent bid to steal people’s personal information.
The States police have issued a warning to Islanders who get a call from a “PC Daniel Lewis” on the 612612 line to be on their guard.
Adding to the deception, the individual is claiming to have a States of Jersey Police collar number of BG6315.
“He claims to be calling about bank cards,” police wrote on social media. The number he is calling from registers as a cloned 612612 number.
“Please be aware if you receive any calls like this, it is a scam.
“Police officers would never call and ask you to release such information,” they continued. “
Please never give out any personal details, especially bank or card information, reputable organisations will never ask for this.”
The Jersey Fraud Prevention Forum recently warned Islanders to remain vigilant of scams, especially in the run-up to Christmas.
JFPF said there were 91 incidences of fraud between April and August this year, with Islanders over the age 70 making up a quarter of victims.
In their latest newsletter, the JFPF offered a range of tips and useful guidance for Islanders to protect themselves and avoid being scammed, especially when shopping online.
This includes being mindful of how much information is shared with people who are not already known and being wary of offers which appear too good to be true.
Particular care should be taken to look out for fraudsters posing as bank representatives, seeking to verify identity or confirm a purchase or transaction.
