RESIDENTS are being urged to remain vigilant with fraudsters posing as police officers having stolen thousands of pounds from vulnerable people in the last few weeks.

Dialling codes in the Forest and Stroud are being targeted by telephone fraudsters “purporting to be the police”, with six incidents having been reported in the last fortnight.

Police say that victims were told that someone had paid counterfeit cash into their bank account, and they were to withdraw the money at their local branch.

The victims were then told to hand the money over to a “police courier” who would visit them to collect it.

One of the victims was 83 years old and handed over £10,000 in cash.

Other victims were instructed to send funds to a “safe” bank account. 

An 81 year old victim in Stroud lost over £44,000 by this method.

Gloucestershire Police are urging people to help raise awareness of the scam by informing elderly or vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours.

Residents are advised to visit www.gloucestershire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime to report non emergency crime, and to always call 999 in an emergency.