Sussex Police issue urgent warning over scam calls impersonating cybercrime officers

Wednesday, 14 October 2026 06:00

By Philip Keeler

Sussex Police are warning residents to be on their guard after fraudsters began impersonating police officers in an attempt to steal personal information, including passwords and financial details.

The force became aware of the scam on Saturday 10 October, following reports of members of the public receiving suspicious telephone calls from people falsely claiming to represent the "Sussex Police Cyber Crime Unit".

Police say the callers are attempting to obtain sensitive personal information, including passwords, by convincing victims they are speaking to legitimate officers.

Of particular concern is that the scammers are able to disguise their telephone numbers, making calls appear to come from genuine police numbers.

This technique, known as number spoofing, can make fraudulent calls appear convincing, even when the call is actually being made from another source.

Sussex Police are reminding residents that genuine officers will never ask for passwords, PIN numbers, bank details or other sensitive financial information over the telephone.

The force has also warned that fraudsters may change the name of the police department they claim to represent in an attempt to deceive more people.

Residents are being urged to remain vigilant, particularly if they receive unexpected calls claiming to be from police officers investigating cybercrime or financial fraud.

Police have reassured the public that their telephone systems are operating normally and that the scam has not affected their ability to receive calls.

Anyone who receives a suspicious telephone call claiming to be from Sussex Police should avoid sharing personal information and report the incident.

Reports can be made through the Sussex Police website or by calling 101.

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