Northern Ireland cops issue PSA after official phone number spoofed by scammers

The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned of scammers spoofing its switchboard number to impersonate officers and coerce victims into buying gift cards and revealing payment codes; separately, an elderly victim lost over £250,000 to a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme after being persuaded to download malware that allowed attackers to control her devices and transfer funds. Authorities urge vigilance, not to disclose personal or financial information, and to contact police, banks, and Action Fraud if victimized.