West Dunbartonshire residents are being warned about a scammer who has been posing as a police officer over the phone.

Police Scotland says they have received multiple reports of people being contacted over the phone as someone claiming to be an officer.

The culprit has been making false claims by telling residents that they are victims of credit card fraud in an attempt to obtain personal information.

The force has asked anyone concerned to authenticate any contact from Police Scotland by taking note of the officer's name and shoulder number and contacting 101.

To help concerned residents, the force has released a list of things their officers wouldn't do:

  • • Ask for your bank card PIN number
  • • Ask you to transfer money from your account
  • • Ask you to withdraw cash or buy foreign currency
  • • Ask you to hand cash or bank cards to a courier or anyone else
  • • Ask you to pay a fine or fee to them or a third party over the phone or online
  • • Ask for remote access to your phone, computer or any other device
  • • Ask you for online banking login details including passwords
  • • Ask you to enter your personal details into an attachment they send you or a website they direct you to.
  • • Ask you to assist in an investigation by doing any of the above
  • • Ask you to keep their contact with you a secret and not tell anyone
  • • Ask you to memorise lines to say if bank staff ask you any questions
  • • Be threatening or abusive towards you.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "If you experience any of the above, or anything else which makes you feel uncomfortable, seems unusual, unexpected or simply doesn't feel right, stop.

"You should take note of the officer's details and contact 101 to authenticate these details."