Hertfordshire Constabulary has posted a recording of a mock phone scam to raise awareness around the scams and show how convincing they can be.

The recording comes following a large number of attempted phone scams being reported across the county.

In December there were almost 70 incidents, with two resulting in people losing large sums of money to fraudsters.

In January so far there has been on average at least one attempted phone scam every day. Residents around the county were targeted, including those living in St Albans.

In the scams, the caller claims to be a police officer investigating fraudulent activity and ask their victim for their PIN and account number – something the police would actually never do in any circumstances. They then ask them to send them their bank cards to them via a courier.

In other instances the fraudsters have asked the victim to withdraw money and send it to them under the pretence that it is needed as part of an investigation into counterfeit bank notes.

If you are not happy with a phone call and are suspicious of the conversation you have with the caller then please end the call and contact police via the non-emergency number, 101.

For further information about phone scams and how to avoid becoming a victim, visit: www.herts.police.uk/PhoneScams