CONMEN have been trying to obtain bank details by pretending to be police.

The conmen have been targeting people in and around the Chigwell area, pretending to be from the local police station.

A woman in Westmede was contacted by the men last week, stating there had been fraudulent activity in her account.

They went on to ask her for her PIN number. When she refused, they asked if she was refusing to comply, to which the she said yes and the call ended.

Chigwell Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) officer Pc Hayley Toye, said: “These men are preying on members of our community in an effort to steal from them and we are keen to ensure that no one falls foul of their heartless scam.

“Fortunately this person was alert enough to refuse to hand over her PIN, but it is obviously a concern for us that some other residents may be taken in by their story and submit to the demands of the bogus officers.

“We’re therefore keen to stress that genuine police officers will never under any circumstances ask you to disclose your PIN number to them.

“Your PIN is unique and should never be disclosed to anyone, not even staff at your bank or building society.

"If you receive an unexpected call of any description, never discuss personal information before first confirming the caller’s identity, even if they appear to know who you are.

“If you receive a call from a police officer, take an extension number and call them back so you can be sure they are who they say they are. The Essex Police non-emergency number is 0300 333 4444.

"If someone claims to be from another force, either look up their number to verify their claim or, if in doubt, call us."

Pc Toye added: "If you feel that you may have been a victim of this type of crime, please report it to police straight away.

If you have given out any personal bank or credit card details to somebody whose identity you’re not sure of, report it to your bank or credit card company."