Emerging Fraud Alert

Good afternoon everyone,

We want to make you aware of an emerging fraud threat which is becoming more common in the Lancashire area.

Fraudsters are using fake banking apps to pretend to transfer money to victims, in which they will use a variety of tactics to try and convince victims to part with cash or high value goods.

One method is where the suspect approaches a victim in public and claims they do not have access to their bank card because they have lost their wallet or had it stolen. They then ask the victim if they can withdraw cash for them. They input the victim’s sort code and account number into their fake banking app to make it appear as though they have sent the victim the money. However, the money never arrives.

The fraudsters will often linger near cash machines in town centres and use intimidation to persuade victim’s into giving them cash.

Another common method is to use online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace to find high value goods for sale. They then contact the seller and meet to view the goods, before making a fake banking transfer to the seller. This of course never arrives and they will intimidate the victim into parting with their goods, claiming the money will arrive in their account imminently.

This has been reported to us as recently as today, when we were contacted at around 10am. It was reported that after advertising a mobile phone online, an elderly man was contacted by another man who wanted to buy it. The man, described as white, 5ft 6in wearing a long jacket with pockets inside the coat and a woolly hat attended the home address of the seller in a Silver Ford Estate car. He showed the seller a banking app and said he had transferred the money. The seller never received any money and made a report to the police. Enquiries to identify those responsible are ongoing.

So, what can you do to prevent this?

Bank app transfers are usually instantaneous – never hand over an item to a stranger unless the payment has safely arrived in your bank account.

Never allow a stranger to transfer money into your bank account in exchange for cash. As well as exposing you to the risk of being defrauded, you could also be committing money laundering offences.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, please report it to us on 101, or to Action Fraud on 0300 1232040