Police are urging members of the public to protect themselves against fraudsters who claim to represent HMRC and trick them into making a bogus payment following a report of a person who recently lost a sum of cash.
The warning comes after SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan revealed that a Derry pensioner had been conned out of £4000 in savings by the scam.
Inspector Alison Ferguson said: “I would urge members of the public to always air on the side of caution with any telephone call, text, email or letter asking for payment or personal details in order to release money, refund fees, pay lottery wins or supply a holiday, giveaway or service.
"Scammers are inventive and can be very convincing, but each scam is designed to tempt you to drop your guard. If you are at all suspicious about a call that you receive, hang up and phone the organisation that the person is purporting to represent to check their authenticity. Ideally make the call from another telephone so you can be sure the original caller has not remained on the line.
“If you have received a call of this kind, or are concerned by the intent of unsolicited calls, emails or letters then please report it to Action Fraud via their websitewww.actionfraud.police.uk or by phoning 0300 123 2040, or call police on the non-emergency number 101.”
Further advice and information can also be obtained by visiting https://www.psni.police.uk/
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