People living in the Monkhams ward of Woodford Green have been warned to beware of phone scammers posing as police officers asking for bank card details.

Monkhams SNT Sergeant Chris Chandler said a small but significant number of people had been conned by the complex scam in recent weeks.

Victims are called by criminals posing as police officers and told that money has been stolen from their account and a suspect arrested.

The bogus caller then provides the victim with a number for the bank and tells the victim to call it and read out the security number on the back of their cash card.

However, the crook does not hang up the phone, keeping the line open and maintaining control of the conversation.

Posing as a bank official the con artist then tells the victim that their card has been blocked and asks for a pin number.

Once this is done a courier is sent to the victim’s house to collect the card.

Sgt Chandler  said: “The volume of the crime is not great but the impact on victims has been significant.

“Your bank will never ask you to authorise anything by entering your pin into the telephone or asking you to disclose it.

“Your bank and the police will never send a courier to your home to collect your card, so never hand it over in this way.”

Anyone who receives a call like this should hang up immediately, call someone they trust to confirm the line is clear and report the matter to the police.