HUGE sums of money have been lost this year in “increasingly sophisticated” scams orchestrated by “organised criminal gangs” posing as banks, the Island’s police chief has warned.
Financial scams have conned Islanders out of over £2 million so far this year, with individual losses running into the tens of thousands.
The States police reported last week that an Islander lost £100,000 after providing information during what they believed to be a genuine call from their bank’s fraud department.
The police say they are “intensifying” efforts to safeguard the community against these losses, which cause “significant distress and can have lasting effects on the victims”.
Police chief Robin Smith said: “In an era where financial scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, the safety and security of our Islanders’ personal and financial information is paramount.”
Mr Smith said that he called one of the numbers used in recent scams himself and found the methods used were “deeply concerning”.
“These operations are masquerading as legitimate banking institutions, utilising clever social-engineering techniques to inject a sense of urgency and financial jeopardy while at the same time offering an entirely false, professional calm and reassuring tone. Don’t believe a word of it,” he explained. He added that he had met senior figures in the banking and telecom industries to discuss tackling “the root causes” of fraud.
He said: “There’s a genuine commitment to forge strategies and discuss technological interventions to intercept and prevent these fraudulent calls and messages before they reach potential victims.”
He added: “To our Islanders, I offer this crucial advice: safeguard your information as you would your own home.
“Under no circumstances should you provide personal or financial details over the phone or via text messages.
“Do not click on links from unknown sources, and never call back numbers that are provided in unsolicited communications.
“In essence, these organised criminal gangs are seeking to persuade you to effectively give them your front door key so they can simply walk in and steal your possessions.”
He instructed Islanders to “trust your instincts” if a call seems suspicious, and to hang up immediately.
“I urge everyone to remain vigilant, to report any suspicious activity, and to remember that when it comes to your personal information, caution is always the best policy,” he said.
