Calls from fake police officers have been reported around the county.

This is a scam where the caller claims to be a police officer, giving names such as DC John Marston, DC James Madison, DC Mark Reilly or DC Martin Johnston. They say they're investigating unauthorised use of the person's bank card and advises them to keep the call secret - a key tactic in fraud.

If you receive a call like this, never give out any person information and hang up the call immediately.

This type of call is linked to courier fraud, where victims are encouraged to withdraw cash  and give the money or bank cards to a courier who has been arranged by the 'police officer' to assist with the investigation. In some cases, the victim has been told to withdraw this in euros from a currency exchange kiosk.

The police will never contact you asking for banking information or to withdraw money to aid an investigation.

Criminals will often target areas where they know elderly or vulnerable people live, so please share this message with your friends, family and anyone who may benefit from this advice.

If you or someone you know receives a call of this nature, please report it to us as soon as possible so we can identify the areas being targeted to alert local banks and communities.

If you're using the same phone you recieved the scam call on, please wait five minutes to hear a dial tone before calling us or your bank via the number on the back of your card.

Remember: Stop! Think Fraud. If you receive a call, text or email that asks for personal information, money or financial details, take a moment before doing anything. If you're not sure, hang up the phone, delete the email and close the door.

Our Sock It to the Scammers video highlights the tactics these criminals may use. You can watch this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/y_z2CTIxwiI?si=OJetnPlnKWvQkhqc