SCAMMERS posing as police officers stole cash from a Wiltshire couple.

A man who claimed to be investigating fraud called the victims and said that someone had attempted to use their bank card.

He told them to dial 999 to speak to their local force but kept the line open, meaning the victims were still speaking to the fraudsters.

The victims then followed the instructions of the criminals, still believing they were police officers, and withdrew a lot of money which was collected by someone pretending to be a courier.

Det Con Emma Wood, from Swindon CID said: “The victims in this case genuinely believed they were speaking to police officers and that they needed to cooperate with their requests or they could lose more money to fraudsters or even be arrested for perverting the course of justice.

“This is why it is so important that we remind people of the simple steps they can take to avoid being scammed in this way.

"Remember, a police officer would never ask you to withdraw money and give it to them. They would also be able to meet you face-to-face and show you ID, and would be happy for you to verify their credentials by calling 101.

“If you receive a suspicious phone call then please hang up the phone and report it. Don’t feel worried about appearing rude, it is better to be safe than sorry.

“We would also like to urge people to speak to their friends and family members about these types of cases, particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable – we want to protect as many people as possible.”

If you receive a call from anybody purporting to be from the police, bank, or any organisation you did not call, take a telephone number and then put the phone down.

Do something for five minutes to stop any fraudster keeping your phone line open then call a trusted friend, relative or Wiltshire Police on 101 and tell them what has happened.

Never transfer money or give the caller access to your banking details or cards. The bank or police would never ask you to do this.

Further details about courier fraud can be found on the Action Fraud website www.actionfraud.police.uk.