A multi-million-pound gem heist is being used by criminals as cover to scam the vulnerable and elderly in Tayside.
Thieves broke into a vault at Hatton Garden in the heart of London’s jewellery quarter over the Easter weekend.
They cracked open 72 safety deposit boxes, and as investigations continue more criminals have looked to cash in.
People across the UK have been cold-called by fake “police officers” claiming cloned bank cards have been discovered in the vault.
Their aim is to frighten targets into providing bank details with claims their finances are at risk.
One victim was a pensioner from Newport in Fife, who asked not to be identified.
In a call she described as “extremely plausible”, a man claimed to be a senior police officer from Hammersmith in London.
He offered a name and even a badge number before detailing how she had become caught up in one of the biggest UK investigations of recent months.
He told her officers investigating the heist had discovered a large number of cloned bank cards within the wreckage of safety deposit boxes.
He told her she was risk and urged her to call the number on the back of her bank card as a matter of urgency.
Criminals can then hijack the phone line and intercept the calls to secure bank details and financial information.
The woman said she had become suspicious and had not fallen into the trap, but said she wanted other residents to be on their guard.
“He said he was a policeman and gave me all his details, from the station he worked at to a badge number, and what he said sounded to me like police speak.
“He said that a cloned version of my credit card had been among those discovered in one of the boxes and urged me to contact my bank.
“The call seemed genuine and the story very plausible, when he was so insistent about the need to call my bank that I became suspicious.
“I eventually hung-up and called a friend to make sure the line was clear and that they weren’t still there before calling the police.
“I was put in touch with the Metropolitan Police in London, and as soon as I mentioned Hatton Garden they told me it was a scam and there had been a flurry of calls to alert them.
“I didn’t give these people any information, but I want other people to know what is happening so that they are not taken in.”
Police Scotland urged residents never to give out personal details or bank details to anyone over the telephone or by email.
Anyone who suspects suspicious activity is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101.