AN ELDERLY Sauchie lady is warning local residents after scammers attempted to con her out of money on the telephone today.

The fraudsters were not cunning enough though, as pensioner Christine Hunter quickly realised what the call was about.

She explained to the Advertiser that someone claiming to be phoning from British Gas told her that the warranty on her boiler was running out and asked for her bank details.

She said: “I've said [to them] well, it does not run out because I pay it monthly.

“I've phoned British Gas myself once he had hung up on me as I was not giving him any details, and they said they certainly hadn't phoned.

“I've tried to phone the number back to see – the number was withheld. So that's why I've phoned British Gas myself.

“I just thought I would let you know, especially for older people.

“I mean, I'm a pensioner myself, but there's older people than me, you know, that can be conned.”

Con artists will cold call prospective victims, deceiving them into believing they are speaking to a police officer, a member of bank staff or a representative of another trusted company or agency, in this case British Gas.

Fraudsters will often try and convince potential victims that they have been a victim of fraud or, as in this case, claim the individual needs to pay for a service and will ask for personal and financial information in order to steal money.

Never disclose your four-digit bank card PIN, full passwords or online banking codes or personal details, unless you are sure about who you are talking to.

Other fraudsters will attempt to persuade people to transfer money to other accounts or to hand cash over to a courier directly. Under no circumstances would the police or your bank ask you to take such actions.