Holiday scam alert
04 Aug 2009
Detectives from the PSNI's Organised Crime Branch are alerting the public to a telephone fraud from a caller claiming to represent a holiday company.
This fraud has been operating in other parts of the world since 2007 and has now reached Northern Ireland. In one instance, a member of the public from the North Down area received an unsolicited phone call from a man purporting to be from Platinum Holidays based in London. The caller offered holiday vouchers for a fee, and requested personal banking details and credit card numbers. The victim refused and contacted police.
The PSNI Organised Crime Branch would advise the public to be very careful when receiving this type of cold call and never disclose personal or banking information unless you are sure that you are dealing with a legitimate person or organisation. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you receive any calls from a number beginning 08000 it should be treated with caution. There is the potential to lose a lot of money. You will get nothing in return.
Anyone who thinks they have been affected by this scam should contact their local police on 0845 600 8000.
