Cleveland Police have issued a nationwide alert in response to a growing trend in motorcycle theft.
A specialist team tackling crime and anti-social behaviour involving motorcycles and off-road bikes has recently noticed a new tactic used by thieves, where offenders use fake banking apps to scam victims.
Sergeant Claire Williams, head of the off-road bike team in Leeds, said they’re noticing more sophisticated methods being used by some motorbike thieves. While they still hear about people asking for a test ride and then disappearing, they’re also seeing cases where thieves pretend to pay by showing fake banking apps on their phones.
With these apps, it might seem like you’re entering the seller’s bank details and sending the money, but no actual transfer happens. There have even been cases where the seller confronted the person pretending to be a buyer when no funds showed up, and the ‘buyer’ faked a call to their bank to confirm the payment.
People pulling off these kinds of scams go to great lengths to make them seem real. The apps they use appear genuine, and they might have an accomplice on the other end pretending to be a bank employee, asking all the right security questions and acting just like someone from an actual bank would.
Motorcycles can be quite valuable, and unfortunately, some people make a business out of stealing and reselling them. It’s important for motorbike owners to stay alert and take precautions when selling their bikes to protect themselves from this kind of crime.
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