Following a few incidents in the Chiltern area we would like residents to be aware of the following advice from the Ministry of Justice:

The Ministry of Justice is issuing a warning to the public after an increase in scams where consumers are telephoned or emailed by people falsely claiming to be from the Ministry of Justice. Scammers trick members of the public by suggesting to the person they’re calling that they could be owed money – often for repayment of bank charges, payment protection insurance (PPI), or a court settlement – but first ask for an up front payment from the consumer in order to enable them to receive the money.

These callers have no connection with the Ministry of Justice, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, or other genuine organisations. Fraudsters have already tricked and harassed some victims into handing over thousands of pounds, only for them to find that the call was a fake. The Ministry of Justice would never contact consumers asking them for personal bank details, or request an up front payment by money transfer.

The Ministry of Justice is warning consumers not to pass on personal or financial details to such callers. If you have already done so, contact your bank immediately to stop or check any unauthorised transactions. Do not transfer money unless you are absolutely confident the company is legitimate. If you believe you have been a victim of this scam please report the matter to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. They will pass your reports to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau who analyse fraud information with a view to passing it to the police for further investigation.