Officers in Forth Valley advise the public to be aware of banking frauds

Officers in Forth Valley are advising the public to be aware following a number of banking frauds in the area.

In one case, an 83-year-old woman was contacted by phone and told her account was compromised, and lost a four-figure sum of money. In another case, a 91-year-old man received a similar call and attended his local bank branch, with no money having been taken.

Inspector David Black said: “These scams are not always easy to spot and anyone can be affected. We would like to remind the public that banks will never ask you to move money from your account.

“A sense of urgency is often created to pressure you into making quick decisions. We advise the public to always verify the identity of the caller by contacting the organization directly using a known and trusted phone number.

“Do not trust any unexpected correspondence and never pass your personal or financial details to anyone, unless you are certain who they are and why they require that information.”

Anyone with concerns can contact Police Scotland on 101. Further advice is available on the Police Scotland website - https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/scams-and-frauds/