POLICE are once again urging people to be on their guard against telephone scammers.

According to West Mercia Police, fraudsters are increasingly targeting consumers over the telephone, posing as bank staff, police officers and other officials or companies in a position of trust.

Often the person will claim there has been fraud on your account and that you need to take action, and then they may phone you to ask for your 4-digit card PIN or your online banking password, often by tapping them into the telephone keypad.

They may also ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping, to transfer money to another account or send someone to your house to collect the case.

If give any of these instructions, police say you should hang up, wait five minutes to clear the line, or where possible use a different phone line, then call your bank or card issuer on their advertised number to report the fraud.

If you don't have another telephone to use, call someone you know first to make sure the telephone line is free.