HAMPSHIRE residents are being warned of a phone scam after a pensioner was targeted by fraudsters.

The 71-year-old woman was called by a man claiming to be from HSBC bank who gave his name as Jason.

He asked the victim to leave the phone off the hook between phone calls and enter codes into a keypad but the plan was foiled when a family member told police what had happened.

It was eventually discovered that a number of transactions were pending on the Petersfield woman’s bank account but these were cancelled before more than £1,000 was taken.

Sergeamt Stuart Tripp said: “This is the only report of this type that we have received at the moment but I have not heard of a scam where the victim has had their phone diverted and I’m keen that no-one else is tricked by this scam.

“If you have elderly relatives or neighbours, please share this information with them and report anything suspicious by calling 101.”