Phone scam latest: Eastbourne pensioner loses £5,800

Officers have received reports of fraudulent BT calls telling householders that their IP address has been hacked and accounts need to be urgently updated with new security software and passwords. However, the services offered would place personal bank information in the hands of criminals.

PC Ed Faulkner said, “In the last few days we have had reports from two residents at Sovereign Harbour that they have been contacted via their landline from someone claiming to be from BT, stating that their computer has been hacked and they need to urgently follow their instructions to prevent them being hacked further. This is a scam. BT do not provide this service, and they would not be calling people asking them to log into certain websites including banks.

“One of the residents, a woman in her seventies, spent some time on the phone with the scammers and lost £5,800. Thankfully her bank stopped a further payment of £4,100. She has had to change all her bank information.