More than £2 million lost to scams in Jersey since January

One 84-year-old from Jersey lost thousands of pounds after a fraudster posed as a bank official to access their account. Credit: Onur Binay / Unsplash

More than £2 million has been stolen from Jersey residents through financial scams since January.

States of Jersey Police and the Jersey Financial Crime Unit (JFCU) have issued a public warning that sophisticated fraudsters are pretending to be from popular banks to target islanders.

Jersey Police Chief Officer, Robin Smith, says: "These operations are masquerading as legitimate banking institutions, utilising clever social engineering techniques to inject a sense of urgency and financial jeopardy whilst also offering an entirely false, professional calm and reassuring tone.

"Don’t believe a word of it."

The JFCU has reported five major cases this year where individuals lost significant amounts of money.

Last week, one fraudster cheated an 84-year-old islander out of a substantial sum by impersonating a bank official to access their account.

Police say they will intensify their efforts to safeguard the community against financial losses.

Chief Officer Smith explained: "The safety and security of our islanders' personal and financial information is paramount.

"I have met with senior figures from across the island including the banking and telecom industries, and there is a shared determination to tackle not just the symptoms but the root causes."

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