A phone scam where tricksters attempt to steal large sums of money from elderly residents has extended to the north of Essex.

Across Essex this month, 63 people, mostly aged 70 and above, have been called by criminals claiming to be police or bank officials.

Eight of the 63 people fell for the tricksters’ claims and have lost a combined total of £39,600.

Det Insp Paul Maleary said: "The majority of people who receive these calls are aware of the extensive publicity warnings that we have put out about the scammers, but still a large number of people are being tricked.

"The thieves are also using new tactics which might account for the increase in crimes. They are still claiming to be police officers or bank officials and are still telling people that their bank accounts have been infiltrated by fraudsters.

"But now, instead of asking people for their bank details or asking to collect bank cards for forensic examination, they are asking their victims to actually draw out large sums of cash for forensic checks, for safe-keeping or so that they can help with an internal investigation into fraud at the bank.”

A total of 448 thefts and attempted thefts have been reported since the telephone scams first started in Essex in January.

The incidents were originally focused on the west of the county, but have since spread to the north of the county, with recent incidents reported in Sible Hedingham, Clacton and Harwich.

In Sible Hedingham, a woman in her 80s was phoned by a man claiming to be a police officer, who asked for her bank details.

Detectives foiled two theft attempts yesterday, both at the Brentwood homes of women aged in their 80s.

Mr Maleary said: "The average age of the people being targeted by these despicable thieves is 77, but there have been victims in their 90s or in their 50s.

"In most of the recent cases the callers claiming to be from the police say they are from Hammersmith or Holborn police stations in the Met Police.

"As a result of our widespread media campaigns in Essex warning of the bank card scam the thieves seem to have changed their approach. They are trying to convince people that their bank accounts are at risk and money should be moved out of those accounts.

"People should remember that banks would never ask you to move money from one account to another and they would never ask you to hand over cash.”

Anyone with information about the thieves or anyone who has been approached by suspected fraudsters should contact the Operation Seaford investigation team on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.