Warning after fraudsters pretending to be police target vulnerable people

The offenders this week used similar stories to persuade the victims to hand over their money, such as their credit card had been cloned or their bank account had been compromised.

In two cases, money was collected from the victims before the incidents were reported to the police, though in another three the potential victims became suspicious and hung up.

Detective Inspector Lydia Mason said: "This is a particularly cruel crime, targeting vulnerable people and abusing the trust they have in the police service and their banks.

"Anyone who has been a victim should not be embarrassed. It is easy after the event to say 'I shouldn't have been taken in', but when you hear the words 'police', 'bank' and 'fraud' it is easy to panic and assume that you have to act quickly. It is also easy to assume that the caller has your best interests at heart.

"We would advise anyone in that position to take a step back and think about what is being asked of you. The police and banks would not phone you up and ask you to move or hand over money, nor would they ask you for personal banking details.

"When you get a call ask for contact details, hang up and phone the police and or your bank making sure that you use another phone as the offenders often stay on the line and can intercept your call.

"Speak to someone you trust - a close friend or family member - and if you feel at all vulnerable ask them to be with you for a while so that you feel safe.

"We will do all we can to find these offenders, but members of the public can help us by keeping an eye on vulnerable neighbours, making sure that they and family members are aware of these scams and know how to respond and also by reporting any suspicious people or activity in their area."

Anyone who has been a victim of this kind of fraud, or knows someone who has, should report it to Gloucestershire Constabulary on 101 or email 101@gloucestershire.police.uk