PENSIONERS across Hampshire are being urged to be vigilant and not fall foul of bogus police officers conning unsuspecting people out of life savings.

The warning comes as a 70-year-old became the latest elderly victim of a phone scam sweeping the nation which has left scores of people tricked in to handing over their life savings.

Officers in Hampshire are working with Action Fraud in a bid to track down the scammers and bring an end to their con which is leaving vulnerable pensioners penniless across the UK.

Pensioners across the county are being warned not to hand over any cash or bank details to anyone without making thorough checks first.

This latest spate of incidents in the Romsey area comes just five months after pensioners were targeted by the conmen claiming to be from Hammersmith Police.

As previously reported, a 90-year-old woman was one of the many vulnerable residents persuaded to hand over large amounts of money by the fake police phone scam, which claims they are officers investigating a financial offence.

Officers in Eastleigh had at least six victims who had all been tricked by the same con, three of which lost several thousand pounds.

The latest fraud in Romsey is being linked to those in Eastleigh back in March, with the scam once again using taxis as a means to deliver the cash to London.

The 70-year-old from West Wellow withdrew the £10,000 from his bank account and gave it to a taxi driver in a sealed brown envelope to be delivered to an address in the capital.

The taxi driver delivered the money, as it was not unusual for him to delivery packages for customers.

Others who have lost money to the same scam in recent weeks, include an 81-year-old man in Wellow, an 85-year-old in Braishfield, an 87-year-old in Ampfield and an 88-year-old in Sherfield English.

Inspector Jackie Wilson from Hampshire Police said: “We’re investigating a series of frauds concentrated on elderly and vulnerable residents.

“The perpetrators are cold calling and purporting to be police officers investigating a financial offence involving the victims’ accounts.

“They will ask for your assistance and state that the cash needs to be checked for fingerprints, DNA, or possibly that the cash is counterfeit.

“Victims are then encouraged to withdraw large amount of cash from their accounts and indicate that the bank may be complicit. Once the cash is with the victim, the perpetrators then use local taxi firms to courier the cash to London.”

Hampshire police are working with Action Fraud, which is run by the City of London Police alongside the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, to arrest the conmen, who have also struck in Crawley.

Residents are reminded to never hand over money to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere, and always note the identification of anyone coming to the door claiming to be a police officer.

Police are urging anyone with information on the incidents to contact inspector Jackie Wilson or sergeant Alyson West on 101 or email romsey.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk.