Good afternoon,

We’re receiving a high number of reports from victims of fraud who have responded to phone calls purporting to be from banks/building societies and/or utilities including Sky, Virgin Mobile etc. 

Please try to get into the habit of letting calls from unknown/withheld/private numbers go to voicemail.  If they leave a message and you wish to respond, wait a few minutes for the line to clear, then double-check that you are calling the genuine person/organisation.

Dial 159 to get you through to any bank/building society or, alternatively, use the phone number on the back of your debit/credit card.  Why not save 159 into your phone now so it’s there when you need it?

Our colleagues at the  Met Police have made this this short, signed, subtitled video about scam calls: Vishing bitesize guide (subtitles & sign) on Vimeo

For more information about phone scams also see: The Little Booklet of Phone Scams (met.police.uk)

Inform your credit card company/bank IMMEDIATELY if you believe you have been scammed.

If this message is not relevant to you, please share it with friends and family members who may find it more useful.

Hampshire Alerts is not a crime reporting portal – please do not report crime here.

If you realise you’ve been scammed and wish to report a fraud that has already happened, please report it to Action Fraud either phone 0300 123 2040 or online at: Action Fraud

If a crime is in progress, and/or you are in fear for yourself or someone else, and/or there is evidence in situ that could be damaged/destroyed, please phone 999 immediately. 

Otherwise, report online, or find out about other ways to report a crime at: Report a crime | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Thank you – Fraud Safeguarding Team