Dendermonde (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Scammers are pretending to be police officers, making scary claims about stolen items and burglaries. Police Chief Patrick Feys warns people not to share personal information. Four scams were reported, with one victim losing money after giving her bank card to a fake officer.
Scammers are tricking people by pretending to be police officers. They call and make scary claims, like saying stolen items related to the victim have been found or that their home is on a burglary list. These lies are meant to scare people into helping them. To seem real, they use official-sounding words and fake badge numbers. They aim to convince victims that they are in serious trouble.
How can Dendermonde residents protect themselves from police impersonation scams?
Scammers are trying to trick people by visiting their homes after gaining their trust. They say they need to protect the victim’s valuables or offer safety from a fake burglary threat. If they succeed, they can steal money, valuables, or personal information. Police Chief Patrick Feys warns that real police do not act this way. He said that anyone who gets such calls should not share personal information and should check with their local police to see if the claims are real. Staying alert is important to avoid these scams.
Police have received four reports of scams, and one person lost money after giving her bank card to scammers who pretended to be police officers. They visited her home, saying they needed to take her valuables for safety. It has been said that to check if a police call is real, listen for a recorded message at the start. If you’re unsure, ask for the caller’s name, hang up, and call the police back to confirm. This way, you can ensure you’re talking to the real police.
