In recent weeks, police have received reports from individuals and businesses who were contacted by phone and/or email by a person claiming to be from their bank.

Through emails and phone conversations, some lasting over an hour with individuals to others which involved separate calls over several days, the fraudster/s managed to get financial details to access bank accounts of those they targeted. Sums ranging between £5,000 up to close to £250,000 were taken by criminals from accounts.