FRAUDSTERS are conning Radcliffe residents out of money by pretending to be police officers and saying they need their bank account details.

Bury South Police have received several reports of people being called by conmen posing as police officers who told them someone had been using their details to commit fraud.

The caller then convinces the victim they need to seize their cards for evidence and sends a taxi or courier round to their address to collect their cards and PIN numbers.

A spokesperson for Bury South Police said: “As police officers we will never call you to ask for bank or PIN details over the phone and we will never send a taxi or courier to collect your cards.

“If you receive a telephone call from someone purporting to be from the police you can confirm their identity by requesting to speak to them in person or by using another phone to call 101.

“If you hang up and use the same phone to call 101 the crook might not have released the call and you could still be speaking to the same person.”

A separate warning has been issued by police officers in Radcliffe urging shoppers to be wary of internet scams.

Last year, consumers nationally lost more than £12.4 million to fraudsters through online shopping and auction scams with more than 8,000 defrauded by bogus websites.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are providing shoppers with information on ‘The 12 Online Frauds of Christmas’ – a compilation of typical tricks criminals may use over the festive period to help fill their own coffers.

Police will be spreading the message on these 12 common frauds using the GMP Twitter accounts and the hashtag #noteveryoneisasniceasyou.

A spokesperson for GMP Radcliffe said: “Every Christmas, more of us are buying gifts over the internet rather than battling the crowds in the high street, and every year fraudsters are finding new ways to move our money into their pockets.

“Christmas is a time for celebration, a time to be with friends and family. Unfortunately it is also a time when fraudsters cash in, using cons old and new to exploit people’s good will and ruin their festivities.”