Residents are being warned about fraudsters posing as police officers.

It comes after a resident received a call from someone who introduced themselves as a police officer, before telling them their bank account had been ‘broken into.’

The Sherborne resident, who was suspicious that it may be a bogus call, asked a number of questions and the caller hung up.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “Fraudsters try to trick people out of their money by telephoning them pretending to be from a well-known company or service. They often seem very genuine and trustworthy. Before they contact you they already know your name, your date of birth, your address and a whole host of personal information they can reel off as a way to show their sincerity. They use well-rehearsed stories, designed to gain trust, for example pretending to be from a phone or computer service provider and claiming that there is a problem with your system that they need to fix.”

Dorset Police says people should always verify the legitimacy of a caller by contacting the company/organisation they are claiming to be from using the contact number published on utility bills or official correspondence.

NEVER give personal information, such as your date of birth or bank details to anyone. This includes typing your PIN into the handset

Don’t be afraid to just hang up

NEVER allow an unexpected caller to talk you through processes on your computer, like downloading new software or accessing your online bank account.