The Dutch authorities have warned conmen are impersonating police by dressing in the replica uniforms and handing on-the-spot fines they demand to be paid in cash. An incident on Sunday saw a group alleged to have tricked tourists found with currencies such as sterling notes and US dollars, The Times reports. A spokesman for police in the Netherlands said: “We know that foreign gangs are active along the motorways in the Netherlands with this sort of practice.
“They target foreign tourists. They will approach them at petrol stations and carparks and will ‘fine’ them.
“The tourists then have to give their money immediately. A Dutch police officer will never make you pay a ticket or fine on the spot.”
The fraudsters tend to target cars with foreign number plates or registrations in carparks or motorway service stations, the spokesman added.
He continued: “If you are a victim of these foreign gangs please remember the licence plate and contact us on 112.”
At the weekend, three men dressed as fake police officers who able to speak English approached a foreign tourist and asked for his ID documents on a motorway before issuing an immediate penalty charge.
They told him he had committed a traffic violation.
The man was suspicious and called the police, who tracked the three men down 19 miles away from the scene.
They have since been arrested.
One suspect and another trio were found to have several foreign currencies on them, including cash from Britain and the US.
Meanwhile, British holiday-makers may face misery as the pound slumped to its lowest value in two years in the wake of no deal fears that have spooked investors.
Sterling fell to $1.2120, its lowest level sinceMarch 2017, the Mail Online reports, adding there are concerns from investors about Boris Johnson’s messy divorce with the EU.
The pound has lost $0.036 since Mr Johnson became Prime Minister less than a week ago.