Blackmailer used ‘frightening phone spoofing technology to threaten victims’

The blackmailer is using technology that mimics the caller ID of friends and family
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Detectives are investigating a series of blackmail offences where a suspect made phone threats to beat up terrified victims in their homes.

The man, who has a British accent, is using “number spoofing” technology that mimics the caller IDs of friends and family to trick them into answering.

Scotland Yard said he may have struck several times in east London and Bedfordshire.

Individuals and their children have been threatened with violence if they do not pay large sums of money to the blackmailer.

A 33-year-old man from South Woodham Ferrers, near Chelmsford, was charged with two counts of blackmail on Saturday, January 30.

He will appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on a date to be confirmed.

But Detective Constable Michael Beskine appealed for further victims to come forward.

He said: “The man’s method is frightening.

“He obtains the personal details of his victims and then calls them whilst disguising his telephone number as the numbers of his victims’ friends and family to trick his victims into answering the phone.

“He tells his victims their addresses, their family member’s names and other facts to scare them, before demanding money and threatening them with acts of violence.

“The man’s behaviour during calls is aggressive. Sometimes he has stated that victims owe money to him or that they owe money to a third party, or even that someone known to them owes money to a third party. He has a British accent.

“We have identified two victims – neither of whom made payments to the man – but there are likely to be other victims who have not yet come forward.”

Ofcom has warned in the past about number spoofing, where nuisance callers and criminals deliberately changing the Caller ID to pretend they’re calling from a bank or credit card company.

It said it was working with the international regulators - as well as the telecoms industry - to find solutions.

Anyone who believes they are a victim can call police on 101, quoting Cad 3849/12FEB21.

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