Police have issued a warning after two elderly residents in Nonsuch and Worcester Park fell victim to a courier scam earlier this week.

In two separate incidents, on April 1, they received calls from someone pretending to be from their bank.

They said they had detected “fraudulent activity” on their accounts, telling them a courier would be on their way to collect their bank cards.

The fraudster arrived, took their cards, and subsequently used them – with one resident losing £500 and the other losing £30 via contactless payment in a fast food restaurant.

Police say this scam is “more effective than it should be and continues to con people out of their well-earned cash”.

Here is some advice:

- Companies or couriers will never ask for you to withdrawn funds or collect or delivery new or old cards.

- Banks will never ask for your PIN numbers and would never collect your cards.

- Bank will never ask for your help regarding employee investigations.

- Police will never contact residents asking to assist in a fraud investigation.

- If you call someone back, make sure there’s a dialling tone before dialling or use a different telephone.

- Call the number you have for your bank, or 101 if the person who calls you say they are the police. Do NOT ring a number you are given by the caller.

- If you receive what you suspect to be a scam, call police on 101.

- If you – or someone else – is in immediate danger or risk of harm, dial 999.

- This scam is more effective than it should be and continues to con people out of their well-earned cash.