Possible TELEPHONE SCAMS

[olrig]

Twice within the last week my partner has received calls on her landline (Castletown area), claiming to be from 2 different Childrens charities (Unicef & Great Ormonde Street Hospital).
On both occasions the caller withheld their tel number. The content of the calls were very similar, along the following lines: The caller asked if a donation could be made to the charity, there & then. The caller (1 male, 1 female, respectively) then asked for bank sort code & account number/holder name be given OVER THE PHONE!.
(The "Unicef" caller added that he had the sort code of every bank in the UK in front of him).
My partner had the sense to decline, & ended the call.
I have emailed both charities, & await their replies. I have also made Police Scotland aware.
PLEASE DO NOT give out bank details to ANY person over the phone-no person/bank/charity/??? will ask for these details in this way.
Please pass on this info to as many people as you can. Tks, Olrig (rtd. police officer).

[sassylass]

that's an excellent reminder.

[olrig]

Thanks for your reply!!. Hopefully more people will read the post and be made aware of the fact that, despite being so far away from crime, it IS still out there!. Mike

[gmcborgie]

A lot of the "big" charities now post a list of postcodes there are currently fundraising in. Their website has this in it:
http://www.unicef.org.uk/Avoid-fraud/

[starfish]

if we can get a list of postcodes of areas that people are fund raising in surely so can the crooks that pray on the people that are easily conned i would not give details over the phone even if the person ringing was on the list