Police are warning people in Gedling borough to be on the alert after reports of two telephone scams doing the rounds. People have reported receiving telephone calls from fraudsters stating that a £600 transaction has just appeared on their bank account & to press ‘1’ if this wasn’t them.

A spokesman for the police said: “This is a tactic that fraudsters are using to get hold of peoples personal and  financial information.” Another scam doing the rounds involves online retain giant Amazon. Individuals are receiving automated telephone calls telling them a fraudster has used their personal details to sign up for an Amazon Prime subscription.

They are then asked to ‘press 1’ to cancel the transaction. When the individual presses 1, they are connected to a scammer purporting to be Amazon customer services. The victim is instructed to download a remote access tool called Team Viewer. The remote access tool grants the fraudster access to the victim’s device, allowing them to access the victims personal information & online banking. Police are warning residents about scam calls doing the rounds Police have now provided a number of tips to help protect people from telephone scams:   Join the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) – a free service to help stop unsolicited calls. Buy a call blocker – CPR V5000 Nuisance Call Blocker phone is an example.

Make your phone number ex-directory: To avoid having your number listed online and in local telephone directories, contact your provider for more information. Network Provider: Contact them to ask about their spam call shield services. Electoral Register: Have your details removed from the OPEN Register.

Caller ID: Don’t trust it! Fraudsters use a technique called ‘spoofing’, which means they can choosewhich number you can see calling you. They often use banks numbers to make calls appear genuine.

Gift Voucher Scams: NO legitimate debt can be paid in iTunes / Amazon / Google / STEAM cards – Hang-up! A spokesman added: “If you receive a call & are unsure whether it’s genuine – hang up, ensure the line is fully disconnected & call the organisation back using a genuine trusted number (such as the number on the back of your bank card).

If possible, call back using a different phone. “If you’re concerned about elderly or vulnerable loved ones being targeted for telephone scams, place a card next to their telephone to remind them to hang up. Do they have a call blocker? If not, do they know how to block unwanted telephone numbers?

Source: https://www.gedlingeye.co.uk/news/police-advice-as-people-are-targeted-by-scam-calls-in-gedling-borough/