Police warning after online bank scammers target 45 Kent victims

Online scam warning

Cybercrime detectives are warning people to beware of a scam being carried out by online offenders in Kent.

Residents in Margate are among 45 reported victims of the scam which involves conmen tricking their way into getting access to internet bank accounts through a remote access tool.

In one case the offender had posed as an employee from the victim’s broadband provider and tricked him into giving the caller remote access to his computer. The claimed they were doing tests, insisted he logged into his online bank account and stole his money.

Similar scams have been reported in Folkestone and Maidstone.

So far the 45 reported victims have lost in the region of £128,000.

Detective Inspector Annie Clayton of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “Remote access software unfortunately gives fraudsters a wealth of new opportunities by which they can trick people, and their targets are usually those who are elderly, vulnerable or both.

“A current trend is for victims to be sent an automated message stating that their router has been compromised. Please do not respond to this message but instead contact your broadband provider directly for advice.

“These fraudsters are trying to make people unwittingly grant them access to their computer often stating they have been hacked, their computer has a virus or their internet is not performing as well as it should.

“Do not allow a caller to have remote access to their computer. Also be aware that should an internet provider call you, they will have no need whatsoever to access your bank details. Protect yourself and never give out this information.”

For more information about the latest scams and frauds visit Action Fraud https://www.actionfraud.police.uk you can sign up for alters about trending crimes and report incidents directly.