Police Impersonation Scam Warning

Police Impersonation Scam Warning

We know you flagged that fraud is a concern for you, so this is a quick update to tell you how we’re addressing concerns and supporting residents.

We are aware of reports of scam emails and phone calls from individuals falsely claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police.

Examples include fraudulent emails sent from addresses such as cybercrime@metropolitan.police.gov and cyberprotect@met.police, as well as callers claiming to be police officers and stating that the recipient is under investigation.

Please remember:

The Met Cyber Protect team's genuine email address is cyberprotect@met.police.uk

The Cyber Protect team would not contact you to tell you that you are under investigation or discuss an ongoing criminal investigation.

If you receive a suspicious email, text or phone call:

* Do not click on any links or open attachments.
* Do not provide personal, financial or account information.
* Do not make payments or transfer money.
* Stop engaging with the caller or sender.
* Verify the contact independently using official police contact details.

Suspicious phishing emails can be forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk.

If you have already responded, shared information or made a payment, report it immediately and take steps to secure any affected accounts.

If in doubt, contact the Metropolitan Police through official channels before taking any action.

We consider fraud to be a serious crime and will put the time in to tackle it however we can. In the meantime, there are ways to keep yourself safe. 

Fraud comes in many forms and across various different channels, whether that's through emails, phone calls or in person encounters. Please see a few resources below to protect you and others from potential fraudsters:   

• Learn the ten golden rules to prevent fraud.
• Find out about the most common types of fraud.
• Download The Little Book of Big Scams to find out more. The Little Book of Big Scams audio version is also available.

 For more information and help and to report fraud, go to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre. 

Lastly, if you think you’ve uncovered a scam, been targeted by a scam or fallen victim to fraudsters, please contact 101 or Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at Action Fraud.

We want your help to shape the future of policing across London. We are seeking your views on our new inclusion strategy to ensure that the Met is a police service that is trusted, representative and more effective at keeping London safe. You can have your say on our Inclusion Strategy consultation which runs until Thursday 26 November.