Fylde businesses' warned about fake police officer cold callers

Firms are being urged to hang up if someone claiming to be a local police officer phones encouraging you to make a donation to a community cause.

CPR Call Blocker says the scam involves a business receiving a call from a person (usually a male) claiming to be a local police officer.

He begins by asking for a company director by name and then asks a series of questions about whether or not there have been any problems with anti-social behaviour in the area lately.

This is a tactic to build a rapport with whoever answers the phone and display a level of knowledge of the local area to make them appear genuine.

The caller goes on to ask whether or not the business will be continuing to support a local police community publication with a small donation, just as they have done in the past.

An apparent “colleague” of the caller then calls within ten minutes of the original call asking for payment.

Yet when challenged to provide a telephone number so he can be called back, he claims to have forgotten his number.

Kris Hicks of CPR Call Blocker said: “The issue with this type of scam is that people in businesses could easily be tricked in to thinking that they have supported a cause like this in the past.

“As many local businesses often give back to their communities through charitable donations, scams like these can be easy to fall for.

“The additional problem with calls like these is that people are naturally more inclined to trust a call that they receive from someone in a position of authority, such as a policeman. However, the police will not ask for money over the phone.”

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