Earlier, Action Fraud revealed that it been receiving reports of an advanced fee fraud whereby suspects phone a member of the public and claim to be calling on behalf of the Government Grant Department.
They go on to state that the individual has won a ‘Good Citizen Award’ – of typically £8,000 – and that the cash be released for a fee of about £210.
Fortunately, according to police, few members of the public have lost any money as a result of the scam. They have reported the attempts to help police build a picture of the scheme and protect others from falling victim to it.
Action Fraud said: "There is no genuine ‘Good Citizen Award’ scheme in the UK that operates by cold calling ‘winners’ and asking for an upfront fee to release a grant. If you receive a call that claims to represent such a scheme, it is a scam. End the phone call – 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 the web-site www.action fraud.police.uk."