Perth & Kinross Local Area Commander’s Bulletin

Perth & Kinross Local Area Commander’s Bulletin

Dear Resident

The weekly Local Commander's Bulletin for Perth & Kinross is provided below.

Kind regards,

Michele

Perth & Kinross Local Area Commander’s Bulletin

Wednesday 7th February 2024

Bank Transfer Fraud

This week’s bulletin focuses on the online crime of Authorised Push Payment (APP).

This is where a victim is called by someone claiming to be from their bank or the Police and convinces them to transfer monies to another third party account. The fraudster tends to claim that the victims own bank account has been compromised in some way and that to ensure the safety of their savings they must transfer their money to another account; either online or by going into a physical branch.

They may also use names of genuine bank employees or Police, which they have found from previous alerts about these types of frauds.

The victim will always be sworn to secrecy as part of the ‘ongoing investigation’ and maybe told to come up with false reasons for transferring money if questioned by bank staff; or they’ve been told that the bank staff are in some way untrustworthy.

Almost £500 million has been lost to bank transfer fraud over the past 2 years which shows that the perpetrators of these crimes are professional and will come across as genuine, authoritative and convincing.

But let us be clear:

Nobody from your bank or the Police will ever contact you and request that you transfer money from your account or reveal personal/ financial information over the phone.

If you receive such a call then politely hang up. If you feel a need to contact your bank then do this from another phone as the fraudsters can continue to hold your phone line so that when you think you are calling your bank you are in fact still speaking to them.

Alternatively contact the Police. You won’t be wasting our time and I would much rather have my officers attend and potentially prevent a crime than see a victim suffer from these unscrupulous criminals.

Either way under no circumstances should you transfer any funds or provide people with personal or financial information over the phone.

UPDATES

A 22 year old man was charged and remanded for committing a number of House Breakings in both the Crieff and Kinross areas during October 2023.

A 19 year old man was arrested and charged for Housebreaking, theft of Motor vehicle and theft from motor vehicle in Francis Gordon Road, Perth on Sunday 28th January.

A 31 year old man was arrested and charged for Theft of Motor vehicle from Morris Court, Perth on Thursday 1st February.

A 20 year old man was arrested and charged with Dangerous driving on the A977, Kinross on Friday 2nd February.

Two 26 year old men and a 39 year old female were arrested and charged for Robbery in Jura Street, Perth on Sunday 4th February.

During the last week 5 drivers have been found without insurance and 2 drivers reported to the Procurator Fiscal for Drug driving.

RECENT INCIDENTS

Between midnight and 6am, Wednesday 31st January, a KTM Motor Cycle was stolen from Tulloch Terrace, Perth. (CR/39155/24)

Between 9.15am and 10.20am, Wednesday 31st January, the roof of a Red Skoda Scala was damaged in Milne Street, Perth. (CR/39431/24)

About 2.20am, Sunday 4th February, a Glass panel was smashed at a property in County place, Perth. (CR/42292/14)

About 11.45am, Sunday 4th February, a Silver Audi A4 had a tyre slashed/punctured in Scott Street car park, Perth. (CR/42460/24)

Between 11pm, Monday 5th and 5am Tuesday 6th January, the windscreen of a White VW Golf was smashed whilst parked on Nimmo Place, Perth. (CR/44703/24)

Anyone with any information that may be useful should contact Tayside Division on 101 or any police officer, quoting the crime reference number listed at each incident. Alternatively information can be passed anonymously via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Regards,

Greg Burns

Local Area Commander

Perth and Kinross

FURTHER INFORMATION AND INTERNET LINKS

As we receive reports of crime, the information is shared on https://www.pkcommunitywatch.co.uk/

I would encourage you to sign up for notifications.

Guidance on how to protect your property is available via Community Watch as well as on the Police Scotland Website, just click or copy and paste the following link:-

https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/

Keep up to date with everything we are doing and all appeals by visiting the following sites:-

https://twitter.com/policescotland

https://www.facebook.com/PoliceScotland

http://www.scotland.police.uk/

http://www.pkcommunitywatch.co.uk

Your Community Policing Teams

Locality Inspectors

PERTH CITY CENTRE

PI James Longden

PERTH CITY NORTH

PI Aartie Sharma