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Global police impersonation and phishing scams

Updated 5 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-26 13:51 UTC → 2026-09-10 17:57 UTC · added removed

Law enforcement agencies across Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia, and Australia Cyprus have issued warnings regarding a rise in sophisticated scams involving the impersonation of police, government, and financial officials. In Trinidad and Tobago, the RCIPS reported an increase in video call phishing scams where suspects, often wearing face coverings, pose as police or immigration officials. These scammers may claim a victim’s debit card has been tampered with to trick them into clicking suspicious links; one victim reported cash being stolen from their bank account following such an interaction. In the United Kingdom, authorities in Surrey and Norfolk have noted tactics such as “courier fraud” and the use of spoofing software to mimic legitimate non-emergency numbers like the 101 service. Additionally, police in numbers. In Teddington, Middlesex, police have warned of fraudsters going door-to-door claiming to be government officials conducting identity checks for a census. These individuals may use official-looking documents, laptops, or biometric devices to request personal information, photographs, or fingerprints. In Australia, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (Austrac) reported an increase in scammers impersonating investigators and senior staff, including the CEO. These criminals use emails emails, phone calls, and messages to pressure victims into making urgent payments, often via cryptocurrencies or encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. Officials across these regions emphasize Austrac CEO Brendan Thomas clarified that law enforcement and government agencies will never the agency does not contact the public unexpectedly request bank details, money transfers, remote device access, or to demand payments. In Trinidad and Tobago, the purchase of high-value items RCIPS reported an increase in video call phishing scams where suspects, often wearing face coverings, pose as part police or immigration officials to trick victims into clicking suspicious links. Additionally, the Cyprus Police have warned of a telephone scam where individuals impersonate officers from the Cybercrime Sub-Directorate. These fraudsters contact citizens in Greek, claiming the recipient has fallen victim to an investigation. online scam, and then request sensitive banking details. While calls may appear to originate from local Cypriot landlines, authorities are investigating the potential use of virtual numbers to mask international origins.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-10 17:57 UTC Global police impersonation and phishing scams
  2. 2026-08-26 13:51 UTC Global police impersonation and phishing scams
  3. 2026-08-24 23:39 UTC Global police impersonation and phishing scams
  4. 2026-08-23 13:02 UTC Global police impersonation and phishing scams
  5. 2026-08-22 21:22 UTC Global police impersonation and phishing scams
  6. 2026-08-18 12:04 UTC Global police impersonation and phishing scams

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