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Suffolk fraud officer: 'Even knowledgeable people fall victim to these scams'

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We publish the stories that matter and champion everything that's good about our town – without the ads, popups or tracking

These aren't just vulnerable people being targeted – the criminals are professionals who know exactly what to say, warns Suffolk Constabulary's Fraud Assessment Unit.

Why it matters: Seven Suffolk residents were targeted by sophisticated courier fraud attempts in just 24 hours between 28 and 29 January, with scammers using authentic-sounding police details to build trust.

The big picture: Fraudsters are calling residents across the county, claiming to be police officers investigating suspicious bank account activity.

Police scam in Ipswich
Suffolk Police are urging residents to share this warning with elderly and vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours

What they're saying: "This isn't just vulnerable people; the victims we have seen are knowledgeable people but those responsible are professionals, they know what to say and are very convincing," Detective Sergeant Jamie Adams, of Suffolk Constabulary's Fraud Assessment Unit, said.

How it works: The scammers:

  • Call victims pretending to be Suffolk or Norfolk police officers

  • Report supposed fraudulent activity on their bank accounts

  • Convince victims to withdraw substantial quantities of cash

  • Ask them to hand over money or bank cards to a courier

  • Use real-sounding police names and collar numbers to appear legitimate

What you should know: Police officers will never:

  • Ask for bank details or PINs

  • Request cash or bank card handovers to couriers

  • Demand money transfers to other accounts

  • Ask for payment of fines or fees over the phone

  • Request access to your computer or passwords

  • Ask you to 'assist' in an investigation by doing any of the above

The bottom line: Suffolk Police are urging residents to share this warning with elderly and vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours – but stress that anyone can fall victim to these sophisticated scams.

Oliver Rouane-Williams speaking with an elderly couple in the town centre

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Council slaps car park users with £100 fines despite publicly acknowledging payment machines were down

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Motorists have been hit with £100 parking fines at Duke Street car park despite Ipserv, which is owned by the council, publicly acknowledging payment machines were out of order.

Why it matters: Ipserv, the commercial arm of Ipswich Borough Council, has been issuing penalty charges to drivers unable to pay at Ipswich's largest Waterfront car park, where machines have been malfunctioning intermittently since late January.

A broken payment machine at Duke Street car park in Ipswich
A broken payment machine at Duke Street car park in IpswichOliver Rouane-WilliamsIpswich.co.uk

The details: The payment terminals had been experiencing problems throughout January, with all machines reported out of service on 31 January.

What they said: An Ipserv spokesperson previously stated: "Unfortunately, there is an intermittent issue with the machine at Duke Street Car Park (21851), which our engineers are actively investigating.

"While we work to resolve the problem, we kindly ask customers to use the RingGo app for payment or call RingGo Customer Services on 020 3046 0010 for assistance."

Yes, but: Many visitors are unable to pay via the RingGo app, and those who typically tap to pay with their smartphones often do not carry payment cards with them, making it impossible to pay by telephone.

A scenario seemingly overlooked by Ipserv.

What they're saying now: We approached Ipserv for comment and asked them if they would be proactively reaching out to users issued with fines despite not being able to pay. They issued the following response:

“We acknowledge that there were intermittent technical difficulties with the payment machines on the 31st January 2025. However, we wish to stress that alternative payment methods were available, users could pay via a mobile app or by contacting RingGo’s customer service on the number provided on the side of the payment machine. While we regret any inconvenience caused, these options were in place to ensure customers had a means to pay.

"The availability of alternative options of payment means that simply citing the technical issue will not, on its own, automatically cancel a parking charge notice. As an approved contractor with the British Parking Association, we are committed to correcting any errors in a fair and timely manner and will review any appeals in accordance with the recognised code of conduct.”

The bottom line: Despite publicly acknowledging these "machine issues", the council-owned company has proceeded to issue £100 fines to motorists who had no means of paying. Affected motorists are encouraged to appeal the decision.

Oliver Rouane-Williams speaking with an elderly couple in the town centre

We can't do this without you!

If you value strong, free, independent local media that fights tirelessly for our town, please consider contributing just £24 per year

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