Warning issued to Folkestone residents following attempted frauds

Folkestone residents are reminded to remain vigilant following reports of attempts to steal money by criminals posing as police officers on the phone.

On Tuesday 3 March 2026, two residents living in Lyminge and Dymchurch had calls from people claiming to be officers from Cambridge Police force and custody officers from Brixton.

Victims were falsely told that someone close to them had been arrested and that officers needed their bank details. Fortunately, in each case the victims immediately suspected it was a scam and terminated the call.

Chief Inspector Mark Hedges said:

‘Fraudulent calls like these can be highly convincing and distressing, particularly for vulnerable members of our community. I want to remind residents that you should never hand over money or possessions to a courier following a call of this kind. ‘Genuine police officers will never ask for your bank details over the phone.’

If someone contacts you claiming to be a police officer and you’re unsure they are genuine, take their name and collar number, end the call, and wait at least five minutes for the line to clear.

You can then call 101 to verify their identity, or 999 in an emergency. Call handlers will confirm whether the caller was legitimate.

Anybody with information relating to these incidents is urged to call the appeals line on 01843 222289 quoting reference 03 -0671.

You can also contact Report Fraud on 0300 1232040 or online by visiting their website.