Residents have been warned of fraudsters pretending to be police officers and bank officials.

Cheshire Police have seen a spike in the number of scam phone calls targeting people in Cheshire.

One tactic the fraudsters use is to tell the victim they are assisting with a covert police investigation.

They persuade the victim to withdraw cash from their bank, to purchase EUROs or provide bank cards and PIN numbers for collection by a courier.

Detective Sergeant Christopher Jacques, of the Economic Crime Unit, said: "The fraudsters are extremely convincing and persistent, and often target elderly or vulnerable people, resulting in the loss of thousands of pounds.

"It's important to remember that police officers and bank officials will never ask you to withdraw money, purchase goods or hand over private banking details.

"Please help us to raise awareness by sharing this with your friends and family, especially if they are vulnerable or elderly."

If you believe that you are a victim of courier fraud, contact Cheshire Police on 101, using a different phone to the one used to communicate with the fraudsters.

You can also report information via cheshire.police.uk/tell-us or to Action Fraud via actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040.

Fraud prevention advice

• Be sceptical of unexpected calls or texts, even from those who claim to be officials.
• Don't be afraid to put the phone down with a brief 'no, thank you'.
• Never give personal information, such as your date of birth or bank details, to unexpected callers.
• Remember, criminals will use urgency or threats to cause panic and fear. When you are under stress you are less likely to think clearly about your actions.
• The police or your bank would never unexpectedly call you and ask you to withdraw cash or move your money to another account, as a result of fraud or any other reason.
• If callers suggest you call your local police or bank to check who they are, use another phone or hang up and ensure the line has been fully disconnected by phoning a friend or relative first, or by waiting at least five minutes. Otherwise, you may think you've phoned a number, but you're simply talking to the fraudsters again. This is a common tactic used by fraudsters.
• If a caller asks you to type your bank PIN number into your telephone handset - do not do this, as fraudsters can use technology to identify the numbers.
• You can opt out of many cold calls by registering for free with the Telephone Preference Service on 0845 070 0707.