YOUR home is being watched and you are under surveillance, according to scammers attempting to fleece people across the region.

Fraudsters are calling members of the public in a bid to convince them that they will be arrested if they do not respond to their outlandish – and false – claims.

Cleveland Police have issued a warning after at least two people answered their phones to an automated voice purporting to be calling from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs department.

The con artists told them that legal action was being taken against them, that their homes had been placed under surveillance and that they could be arrested if they did not respond.

The victims were then instructed to ring a number beginning with 02 and told to selection option 2.

The calls were received by at least two people at some point on Friday, May 11 and police are now warning the public to be on their guard against the scammers.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police advised anyone who has received such a call to report it via non-emergency number 101 and never to share personal information with cold callers.

For more information on frauds currently circulating, visit the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre online at actionfraud.police.uk.

Frauds can also be reported via the national service.