Cold-calling fraudsters who impersonate legitimate organisations such as banks conned people out of £23.9 million in the past year, a threefold increase on the £7 million lost to telephone scams in the previous 12 months.
The fraud, which targets people, often the elderly, in their own homes involves a caller posing as somebody they are not, usually bank staff, a police officer or employee of a trusted computer company such as Microsoft.
The criminal claims that you have been a victim of fraud, and once they have won your confidence will ask for personal and financial information, such as card details, Pins and passwords, to access your bank account. Variations include demanding victims transfer money to other accounts, or hand over money or bank cards