DETECTIVES have issued a warning after conmen posing as police tried to dupe two elderly people.

The victims in the Ripon area received phone calls from someone claiming to be a police officer from outside the area.

They falsely informed the victims that their bank accounts had been compromised and there had been fraudulent transactions on their accounts.

The victims were told to attend their banks and transfer money to a “secure bank account” to keep it safe.

On one occasion a taxi is even believed to have been ordered to pick the victim up and take her to the bank to withdraw her funds.

Fortunately police were alerted to the incidents before any money was transferred and officers are now investigating.

PC Matthew Scott said: “If anyone does receive calls of a similar nature purporting to be from the police or any other agency asking them to transfer their money to another bank account they should finish the call immediately and contact the police.”

Anyone who has been targeted or has any information about the frauds, should call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option one and pass information to the force control room.