Residents warned to be wary of scam calls

An elderly resident was recently contacted by a female who claimed to be from the Governments Grant Scheme. The caller said that the resident was entitled to a grant of £8000 if he forwarded an initial payment of £200 to an Indian bank account which would help to avoid tax and commission.

The resident made a cash transfer and was contacted later on the same day by another female who claimed to be calling from the Bank of England. This female claimed a further grant would be payable if a further payment of £1250 was made. Fortunately the resident became aware that this was a scam and was able to stop the initial cash transfer.

Crime Prevention Officer Michelle Wilson said: “I would urge everyone to be mindful of any calls of this nature. If it sounds too good to be true then it generally is. Never give out personal details over the phone to unsolicited callers. If you are unsure of a caller or feel that something is not right then ask for details to check their identity.

“If you have received a contact of this kind please report it to police on non-emergency number 101.”