Police are reminding residents to be wary of a phone scam after a pensioner was duped into heading over her bank card to a fraudster.

Officers were called on Tuesday after a 90-year-old Tonbridge woman went into her bank, Barclays in the High Street, to ask why a new card she had received was not working.

It emerged the woman had previously taken a phone call from an unknown man stating her bank card needed replacing.

The victim was later visited by someone at her home address, who acted as a courier and took her bank card. He got the victim to sign for what she thought was a replacement card.

It was later discovered money had been stolen from the victim’s bank account. Officers are reminding residents to be wary of handing over bank details on the phone.

Sgt Mark Ginsberg said: "Sadly criminals will sometimes deliberately target the most vulnerable in our communities and we are asking people with elderly friends, relatives or neighbours, to help us warn them of the risks of fraud.

"With these crimes victims are often called and asked for details such as date of birth, their mother’s maiden name and their cards’ pin numbers.

"Sometimes they may be advised to call the number on the back of their card to prove the call is genuine, however the phone line is held open and the victim’s call can be re-answered again by the fraudster.

"After the victim gives out their personal banking information on the phone, a courier visits the person’s home to collect the cards and shortly after, victims discover cash missing from their bank accounts."

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information, or who needs to report any suspicious behaviour is asked to call 101, quoting reference 27-0392.