I have just received notification of a scam call that was made in the Peterborough area of the county.
I cannot confirm or deny at this time if similar calls have been received in other areas.
My contact received a phone call and the number displayed was 01733 798128. (Peterborough landline)
The mail voice claimied to be from 02, and was offering help for small businesses in the local area with cash during COVID-19 crisis.
The following is in their words and this time it makes no reference to offering help to a small business:
The suspect number was checked against https://who-called.co.uk/Number/01733798128 and there is reporting that this number has been used to contact people claiming to sell crime prevention equipment/services.
Comment
A suspect can make their telephone number look like any number they like, it is called spoofing.
DO NOT trust the number displayed on your phone until you have verified it through other tried, tested and trusted means.
Note the comment by my contact ‘a very nice man’
Criminals are using social engineering, they will sound nice because they are trying to steal your money and they want you to believe them.
Most people will realise this is a scam, but others will not, so the more people alert to scam telephone calls, text messages
For every 100 calls a criminal makes, they only need to get lucky once.
The current national crisis is being exploited by fraudsters, individuals, businesses and charities.
For local resources to help protect yourself, family and friends from fraud visit:
CAPASP website
(Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Against Scams Partnership)
Also visit Action Fraud www.actionfraud.police.uk the national reporting centre for fraud and computer crime.
Best wishes
Mr Nigel Sutton 8517
Cyber Protect Officer
Serious & Organised Crime (Intelligence and Specialist Crime Department)
Ext: 01480 422773
Hinchingbrooke Park,
Huntingdon, PE29 6NP
