Don’t fall victim to voucher scammers
Information sent on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police
Nottinghamshire residents are being warned about a recent phone scam in which callers have been swindled for thousands of pounds.
The most recent incident left an 81-year-old man from Newark, £1,680 out of pocket after he was called by a man claiming to be from the Department of Justice in London.
On three separate occasions (25, 26 and 27 September 2012) the caller asked the elderly victim to buy Ukash vouchers worth hundreds of pounds and return his call with the serial numbers. He was told if he did this it would entitle him to £2,500.
Ukash vouchers can be bought from some shops to allow people to purchase items online from participating websites without a credit card or bank account.
In another incident, a man in Bilsthorpe was on a social media site when a message popped up to say there was a virus on his computer. Another message then appeared claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police. It instructed him to buy a £100 Ukash voucher and enter the serial number into the site to be able to remove the virus from the computer.
Newark and Sherwood Neighbourhood Inspector Andy Gan said: “The police and the Department of Justice will never contact you over the phone or via the Internet to ask for money.
“Ukash is just like cash. If you hand them over or give their serial numbers to someone, it’s like handing them bank notes.
“Keep your Ukash vouchers and their serial numbers safe and use them carefully. Only use them at genuine partner websites. If you are unsure of the validity of a website then check it against the list on the Ukash website at www.ukash.com/uk/en/home.aspxx
“Never reveal a Ukash voucher code to anyone over the phone and never give it to someone who asks for payment upfront.”
For up-to-date information about the latest scams and for details about crime in your area sign-up to the Nottinghamshire Neighbourhood Alert at www.nottinghamshirealert.co.uk
For more details on how to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of fraud or Internet crime visit the ActionFraud website at www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud
If you think you have been a victim of a scam of this nature contact the national ActionFraud reporting line on 0300 123 2040 or call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Message sent by
Jason Crofts (Police, PC 1146, West Bassetlaw, East Bassetlaw & Sherwood)