Royal Greenwich Warns Residents Of Bureau de Change Scam

by out RBG Correspondent | Woolwich

Residents are asked to be especially vigilant for scammers purporting to be from high street banks claiming that euros have been fraudulently deposited in their accounts.

Royal Borough of Greenwich Trading Standards Officers have become aware of a telephone and doorstep scam in which residents are asked to go to their local bureau de change to purchase thousands of euros from their bank card supposedly because a ‘fraudulent transaction’ has been made to their account. The victim is then told that a police officer will visit their address to collect the cash.

One elderly victim in the borough lost over 6300 euros to the scammers after being convinced that the Police and Barclays Bank were assisting her with a case of fraudulent activity on her account. 

Cllr Jackie Smith (top right), the Royal Borough’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment said: “This is a very organised and malicious scam involving con artist callers purporting to be from high street banks and the police. We are working very closely with local businesses, residents and the Metropolitan Police to take action on this specific crime and crack down on scammers more generally operating within the borough.”

The Council’s Trading Standards team have asked the borough’s bureau de changes to be watchful of this sort of activity. However, residents are reminded to be extremely cautious if detailing any personal information over the phone or on the doorstep.

 

If you suspect any suspicious activity, please report it to Trading Standards on:

tradingstandards@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or call 020 8921 8223.