Avon and Somerset Police are investigating three scams in Bath and the surrounding area over the past week which have targeted elderly people, tricking them into handing over more than £15,000.
On Monday last week, a 75-year-old man from Bath was scammed out of £10,000 after fraudsters called him up and posed as police officers.
They managed to trick him into withdrawing the money, which was then picked up by a courier.
In a second incident on Tuesday, a couple in their eighties from Peasedown St John received a call from a fraudster posing as a bank official.
They were told to withdraw money from their account at Natwest in Midsomer Norton, but staff at the branch alerted police before any money could be taken out.
A third incident happened on Wednesday, in which a 73-year-old woman from Bath was conned after receiving a call from a fraudster claiming to be from the fraud squad.
The caller claimed the victim was in possession of counterfeit money and they’d send someone to pick it up. The victim handed over more than £5,000.
DS Chris Surgey said: “The criminals in these cases used similar techniques to obtain money from elderly victims.
“Our message is please don’t discuss your finances with anyone who calls you out of the blue, even if they say they are from the police or your bank.
“Genuine callers will be happy for you to make an appointment to visit them at a branch or police station and they will never ask you to hand over cash, your bank card, or your PIN.
“If you know someone who may be vulnerable to this type of offence, please speak to them and share our crime prevention tips.”
You can find out more at www.actionfraud.police.uk or if you think you’ve been defrauded you can report it by calling 0300 123 2050, or online via https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud.