Scammers cash in on pandemic by targeting the elderly across NI

By Q Radio news and PA reporters, Rebecca Black and Jonathan McCambridge

Police have warned that fraudsters posing as police officers have targeted more than 300 older people in Northern Ireland this year.

The scam sees older people encouraged over the phone to reveal whether they have valuables in their home and then to leave them in an envelope to be collected.

There have been 36 occasions so far where people have handed over money or valuables, with a total of £135,000 in cash and jewellery worth £15,000 lost.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wilson said if people were called in this way they should immediately hang up.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wilson

He said: “Since January of this year, we have had over 300 reports from members of the public who are telling us that they have received phone calls to their home telephones from scammers who are pretending to be police officers.

“These scammers are engaging these householders in conversation which then develops into asking about whether they have any cash or other valuables in their house.

“If this is confirmed to them, the scammers will then tell them that they have information that in the very near future they are going to be the victim of a crime, such as a burglary or a fraud and they will offer to take protection of their cash and/or their valuables in order to keep them safe.

“If that is agreed to, they will ask the householder to put those valuables and cash into an envelope and set it somewhere outside but in the vicinity of their house – very often under the front doorstep.”

(Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wilson and The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland Eddie Lynch. Pic by Photopress NI)

Mr Wilson added: “The scammers will then come and collect that envelope and from that point on that money is stolen.

“I have one really clear message, the police will not phone you up and ask anything about your personal finances, whether you have cash or other valuables in your house and they certainly will not ask to take that into their possession for safekeeping.

“In addition I have one piece of advice, if you receive any call that sounds familiar to what I have described, please end that call immediately.

“These scammers are intent on taking as much money as they possibly can from you.”

Mr Wilson said the PSNI had so far made 10 arrests and charged seven people in relation to the scam.

Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland, Eddie Lynch, who also attended the press conference, warned that older people were often more trusting.

He said: “It is obviously a matter of major concern; older people regularly tell me that their fear of falling victim of scams is one of the top fears that they have.

“Unfortunately, we do know that older people can be more trusting and less willing to put the phone down and that is why it is important to get this message out that you will never be asked to hand out money or bank details by police.

“If in doubt, just put the phone down.”