Warwickshire Police Scam Calls: What Warwick Residents Should Do

Warwickshire Police is warning that fraudsters are phoning people and claiming to be from the force, using a number that looks local. The calls appear to come from an 01926 number that used to belong to the police but no longer does. People in Warwick are being asked to warn vulnerable friends and relatives.

01926 is the dialling code for Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth, so a call like this can look as if it comes from just down the road. Showing a false number like this is known as spoofing, and the number on the screen proves nothing about who is calling.

The force said on Monday 2 November that it is investigating a series of these calls, and that none has so far led to anyone handing over money.

How the Warwickshire Police scam works

The first call is usually an attempt to get information from a vulnerable person. More calls or emails then follow, and these try to mislead the person into handing over money. The force hasn’t published the full number, or said which parts of Warwickshire have had the calls.

What to do if you get one of these calls

• Hang up and call 101 if you have any doubt that the caller is really from the police. The force says no genuine officer or member of staff will mind.
• Report it as soon as you can. The police statement says to report it to Action Fraud, which is now called Report Fraud.
• Talk to anyone who might be at risk. The force is asking everyone to have a chat with vulnerable friends and family, so they know about the calls before the phone rings.

For the wider picture, our Warwick crime figures page shows what police record in the town each month.

Alex Harrington