Crime prevention advice has been re-issued by police as older householders in the area continue to be duped by the latest phone scame.
Crooks trick people into parting with their bank details, including pin numbers and even arrange for the bank cards themselves to be collected as part of the scam.
During the phone con, the offender pretends to be a police officer investigating bank account fraud. If the person at the other end of the phone becomes suspicious, the offender suggests that they call 999 or 101 to get confirmation.
The victim then calls the police, but does not realise that the conman has not hung up and then, in some cases, a female accomplice comes on the line and pretends to work in the police control room.
The caller is then ‘transferred’ back to the fake police officer who then takes the details and, in some cases, couriers have been sent to collect bank cards from homes.
PC Peter Eames said: “If you receive a similar call do not to part with any details. Police would never ask you for this information.”