Police have urged people to be on their guard against phone fraudsters.

It comes after reported incidents in Carlisle in which people received calls from people pretending to be police officers to try and get money.

A Cumbria police spokesperson issued the following tips:

  • Police officers will never call you out of the blue and request cash or personal information. They’ll never ask you to transfer money to another account, hand over cash or bank cards to a courier, or pay a fine or fee over the phone.
  • If an officer contacts you in person, they will show you their warrant card. This is proof of their identity and authority.
  • If someone has called you and you are unsure if they are a genuine police officer, you can hang up and call police on 101 to check their identity.
  • It’s recommended you wait at least five minutes and make sure you can hear a dialling tone before you call, as there have been cases of fraudsters keeping the line open after a victim has hung up.

“We ask that the public please share this information with any vulnerable friends or family,” they added.

If you think you’ve been the victim of fraud you can report it to the police on 101 and to Action Fraud on 0300 1232040, or by visiting their website at https://orlo.uk/zbc2x.