A WOMAN who almost fell victim to a phone scam has told how last second suspicions stopped her handing over cash.

Conmen believed to be running a national fraud recently targeted elderly and vulnerable people across St Helens by posing as police officers.

Two women in their 70s and 80s were contacted by crooks claiming to be from Hammersmith Police.

They told their first victim someone had tried to access her bank account and she needed to draw out money so the notes could be checked for fingerprints.

She ended up handing over nearly £8,000 to a courier who turned up at her door.

Now one woman, who was also targeted, explained how she was nearly taken in.

Asking to be referred to as Susan, she said: “I had a phone call from a guy saying he was from Hammersmith Police. He identified himself as a detective constable .

“Immediately your mind thinks ‘what’s happened?’  He asked if I had given anyone permission to use my debit card because someone in the Apple store attempted to spend £1,800.

“He then asked if I had my debit card and I was still in a state of panic. I thought ‘if he asks my number I know it’s a scam’, but he said I don’t want your details.

“He asked me to turn over my debit card and ring the number on the back and cancel the card because it had been cloned.”

The man then told her he would ring back in 15 minutes. However, she started to have suspicions and rang the bank from her mobile.

“I picked up the landline handset and it sounded as if someone was still on the line so I put it back down.

“When I got through to the bank they said they would have rung me if there was an issue with my card, not the police.

“It was then I rang the police. They told me a lot of people have been taken in by them.

“This man was so realistic. If he’d rang my mum she would have done what he asked. But there was something at the back of my mind. I thought they may have even tapped the phone.

“My advice  if you get a call like this is just put the phone down.”