The incident happened last Wednesday around 9am, when a woman in her 70s from Portsmouth was spoken to over her phone by a man purporting a be a police officer in London investigating fraudulent transactions with Halifax Building Society.
The woman spoke with several people who explained that they needed her to provide them with all the bank notes she had in order to fingerprint them as part of the investigation.
Then at around 11:00am, a man came to her address on Kimbolton Road to collect the money and took over £4500 in cash from her in an envelope.
Police would like to speak to anyone who saw a man of the following description in the area, or who has doorbell or dashcam footage which could help with the investigation.
The man has been described as:
- Black
- Approximately 5ft 2 inches tall
- Skinny build
- Aged between 20-40
- Short, curly hair
- Wearing very skinny black leather trousers and dark clothing
It is thought that he left the address on Kimbolton Road in the direction of Hayling Avenue.
If you saw this man, or anyone behaving suspiciously on Kimbolton Road, please call 101 quoting reference number 44240422914.
You can also submit information online via our website.
To report information anonymously, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit their website.
What exactly is courier fraud?
Courier fraud is a sophisticated scam where fraudsters pose as police officers, bank staff, or service providers. They claim the victim's account has been compromised and ask for their help in an investigation. Victims are often asked for financial details and instructed to withdraw money or hand over valuable items. A fake courier then collects the cash or goods from the victim's home.
Recently, scammers have become more direct, telling victims their cards have expired or they’ve been scammed. They then send couriers to collect bank cards, PINs, or phones.
Police urge people, especially the elderly, to avoid engaging with such calls and to alert loved ones about this scam.
You can make yourself aware of this type of scam and how to protect yourself by visiting the Action Fraud website (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/) or by calling them on 0300 123 2040.
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