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Telephone fraudsters posed as police officers in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells scams

Telephone fraudsters posing as police officers tried taking money from a pensioner and a woman.

Both victims, a woman from Tunbridge Wells and a pensioner from Tonbridge, were separately called by men who said they were officers from Hammersmith police station on Thursday, April 18.

They were told some men had been arrested with a cloned bank card for their accounts.

The fraudsters posed as police officers during their calls. Stock image
The fraudsters posed as police officers during their calls. Stock image

The woman was advised to withdraw a quantity of cash from her account and, to keep it safe, it would be collected by a courier.

The victims saw through the scam and declined to hand over any personal or bank details, before calling Kent Police to alert officers to the attempted frauds.

Inspector Christian Mayers from the Tunbridge Wells Community Safety Unit said: "These residents acted correctly by declining to give the caller any bank details and then contacting Kent Police when they became suspicious.

"Unfortunately those who are targeted are often the most vulnerable, such as elderly people or victims with learning difficulties.

"On the same day as these incidents, a man in his 80s from Sevenoaks was called by a suspected fraudster who said he was an Essex police officer.

"He was persuaded to withdraw a quantity of cash that was later collected by a courier who visited his home address."

The courier is described as mixed race, in his 30s, about 5ft 6ins tall, with short black hair and a beard. He was wearing a high-vis jacket.

Inspector Mayers added "A police force will never ask a member of the public for their bank details or money over the phone.

"If you receive one of these calls end it immediately and wait at least five minutes before using your telephone in order to clear your line from the scammer."

Read more: All the latest news from Tonbridge

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