Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

A Preston man was conned out of thousands of pounds by fraudsters posing as the police.

The victim received a number of phone calls on Wednesday (December 7) from a number which falsely showed it was coming from a contact from Lancashire Police .

He was asked to hand over money to stop his bank and personal details being misused.

The victim transferred more than £5,000 before realising a fraud had been committed and calling the genuine police.

Police are warning people to be vigilant after a man was conned out of thousands of pounds by fraudsters in Preston (Credit: Gilles Lambert on Unsplash)

An investigation was subsequently launched.

Appeal to find Preston taxi driver who may be key witness in police investigatio...

Officers also urged residents to be vigilant if they received this type of phone call and to report it to the police or their bank before transferring any money.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “People who commit these offences will often target the elderly posing as officials to gain their confidence and trust,” a spokesman for Lancashire Police said.

“No police officer or other official body will ever ask for your bank details or would ever ask you to withdraw or transfer funds.

“If you get a call from someone saying they are from the police, or another law enforcement agency, and you aren’t sure then you can ask them for their collar number and surname and then call 101 to verify that they do work for the police.

“If you have an elderly friend or relative, please let them know that this has happened so they can avoid becoming a potential victim.”

Residents were also asked to check on elderly or vulnerable people in the community and to call the police if they were concerned for their wellbeing.

“Has their behaviour changed? Are they anxious around the telephone, taking calls at a set time and being secretive about the calls? Do they appear stressed and anxious but reluctant to talk or lacking trust in banks? Finally, have they started to withdraw cash or is there a large amount of cash in their address?,” the spokesman added.

“If so, please get in contact with us immediately.”

Anyone with information or concerns should call 101 or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

You can also contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Scam warning after fraudsters posing as police officers trick Preston man into transferring more than £5k