Action Fraud are warning of a new telephone scam where conmen phone up members of the public claiming to offer a reward for being a good citizen – if only a fee is paid in advance.
Fraudsters pretend to be calling from the ‘UK Government Grant Department’ (which does not exist) and tell their victims them have won a Good Citizen Award – of typically £8,000 – and that the grant can be released for a fee of around £200.
Action Fraud say that very few people have fallen prey to the the scam so far, but that it is becoming more common.
A spokesperson for the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre said: “If you receive a call that claims to represent such a scheme, it is a scam.
“End the phone call immediately. Do not give out any personal or financial data.
“If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling
0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.
