DORSET Police is warning residents after a Lyme Regis resident was tricked into handing over cash in a new scam.

Inspector Mike Darby, from Bridport Police, said that in the last week a number of Dorset residents have been duped by a type of courier fraud.

Dorset Police has set up "Operation Luna" to prevent people from becoming victims of this kind of fraud, as well as identifying and prosecuting offenders.

In the scam, Insp Darby said, an individual receives a phone call out of the blue from someone who pretends to be a police officer - usually from the Metropolitan Police in London.

He said: “The caller tries to convince the victim that there have been issues with their bank account. They sometimes state they have someone in custody who has been caught using a cloned credit card in the victim’s name.

“They say the individual’s bank account has been compromised and convince the victim to withdraw a large sum of money to send to the police in London, via an arranged courier.”

Insp Darby said the scam started last September but the fraudsters started up the scam again in the county, and have changed tactics so they are actually in Dorset when they are making their calls.

He said: “In the last week it has really hit us." In Bournemouth and Poole we have had loads of these incidents.”

To deceive victims even more, he said, the offender will then say someone from ‘the bank’ will come round to collect the person’s bank cards.

They will then visit the victim’s house, take the debit and credit cards and say they will return with new bank cards.

Insp Darby added: “They actually come to your house, and we have just had one do that in Lyme Regis and a quantity of money has been stolen.

The offenders target victims who are vulnerable and may be susceptible to being convinced to part with their money.

“I urge people who have elderly or vulnerable friends and relatives to speak to them about their financial security and tell them about this scam. Should they ever get a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be a police officer, try to verify the officer’s details. Genuine police officers will be happy to give people their Force Switchboard and extension numbers for people to call them back to confirm their identity.

“Real police officers will never ask people to reveal personal bank account details on the phone or ask them to hand money over to the police, so if they do, terminate the call. Make sure the call is genuinely terminated, as they will stay on the line and then pretend to be your bank or the police.”

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of this scam should call Dorset Police on 101.