Warning Over ‘Bail Money’ Con

Tricksters posing as police officers have conned people into handing over more than £60,000 by telling them to pay bail for a relative to be released from custody.

The gang, which contacts its targets by phone, claims the relative can only be released upon payment of ‘bail money’.

They then persuade the victim to meet them at a cash machine to withdraw the cash.

Police say nine people have so far fallen victim to the trick in Leicestershire so far this year and its thought a further 50 have been contacted, who have realised it’s a scam.

Paul Wenlock, Head of the Economic Crime Unit at Leicestershire Police, said: “This kind of crime preys on the best intentions of some of the most vulnerable people. We cannot emphasise enough that the police would never call you to come and pay someone’s bail. Neither would your bank ask for your bank details, nor would HMRC ring asking you for money.

“If you are unsure about the nature of a phone call, then ‘Take Five’. Call someone that you trust and ask them if they think the call sounds legitimate.

“We are also encouraging people to #tell2. Tell two people in your life about telephone fraud and how they can protect themselves. If they then pass this information on to another two people, we can begin to protect lots of people. An unbroken chain of 26 ‘tell2’ers’ would reach 67 million people, more than the total UK population.”

For further information on telephone fraud and how to help protect yourself, go to the, Police, Age UK or, Take Five website.