The RCIPS Financial Crime Investigation Unit (FCIU) is aware of a financial scam targeting people in the Cayman Islands. Someone posing as VISA or Mastercard Security or a bank employee contacts victims via phone and asks for their assistance in a fraud investigation.
According to the FCIU, the scammers will tell the victim that the nature of the investigation means that they should not let anyone else know what they are doing. As part of this fake “investigation,” the perpetrators will ask the victim to authorize a transaction that is ultimately transferred to the culprit’s accounts.
This past Friday, 5 April, officers were alerted to one such incident by staff at Butterfield Bank, who had noticed an older customer attempting to conduct an uncharacteristic transaction. Officers contacted the victim and action was taken in time to prevent the transaction from being completed. This customer did not lose any money.
As such, the RCIPS FCIU is warning persons in the Cayman Islands to be wary of any calls from someone claiming to be from credit card security and who is asking you to conduct a transaction to assist with an investigation. Financial investigators will not ask you to transfer funds to entrap criminals.
If you suspect you have been a victim of this scam or received any such suspicious calls, contact the RCIPS Financial Crime Investigation Unit at [email protected]. You can also contact police at 949-4222 or by dialing 9-1-1.
The RCIPS FCIU also thanks Butterfield Bank for taking immediate action in response to a suspicious transaction.
