Local Priorities Fraud (for example, bogus callers, courier fraud, cyber crime) Message

Local Priorities Fraud (for example, bogus callers, courier fraud, cyber crime) Message

I wanted to provide you with an update regarding Fraud (for example, bogus callers, courier fraud, cyber crime), which people around your area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the priority survey.

⚠️ Fraud Warning - Inheritance Scam Letter

Members of the public are being warned to remain vigilant after reports of scam letters being received through the post. Police have been made aware of three so far in the Hawkinge Area.

The letters claim that the recipient may be entitled to a substantial inheritance or financial windfall from an unknown or distant relative. Recipients are encouraged to make contact via a supplied email address in order to progress the claim.

These communications display common characteristics of fraud and are designed to encourage individuals to provide personal information or engage with scammers.

Please be aware:

Unexpected contact regarding inheritances, unclaimed estates, or large sums of money should be treated with suspicion.
Do not respond to email addresses, telephone numbers, or other contact details provided in unsolicited correspondence.
Do not provide personal, financial, banking, or identity documents.
Being addressed by your full name and home address does not necessarily mean your personal data has been compromised, as such information can be obtained from a variety of sources.

If you receive similar correspondence:

Do not engage with the sender.
Retain the letter and any associated documents.
Report suspicious mail to Action Fraud.
Contact police if you receive threats, persistent contact, or if anyone attends your address in connection with the correspondence.

Please share this warning with family members, friends, and vulnerable relatives who may be more susceptible to this type of fraud.

People in the UK lost £1.2bn to fraud in 2022, the equivalent of £2,300 every minute, according to bank industry group UK Finance. It said around three million scams took place, with frauds involving payment cards being the most common.

Fraud is when trickery is used to gain a dishonest advantage, which is often financial, over another person. Cybercrime is any criminal act dealing with computers and networks.

To report an incident of cybercrime or fraud and for further information visit the Action Fraud website at www.actionfraud.police.uk. 

If you haven’t already listed Action Fraud as an Information Provider who can send you information and alerts, why not click on the settings button at the bottom of this email, log into your account and update your sharing settings.

Get Involved

Please consider getting involved by registering for these messages, this will enable you to contribute to the local priority survey.  We may be unaware of issues that you would like us to focus on.  Take a few minutes to securely and privately register and have your say using the button below, this will mean we can focus on things that matter to you. 

Please click here to complete the survey