A COUPLE who have been bombarded with telephone calls from conmen asking for bank details are warning other potential victims of the scam to be on their guard.

Ann and David Jones endured continual harassment after first being contacted two weeks before Christmas by a man claiming to be from Natwest bank.

They had not only traced their ex-directory phone number but also knew the sort code and account number of an old account they held with the bank.

The callers, who phoned the couple three times a day and always insisted on speaking to Mrs Jones, promised to help them reclaim bank charges - but Mr and Mrs Jones soon smelled a rat.

But despite refusing to co-operate, the calls kept on coming and the couple, of Ropers Avenue, Chingford, have been forced to change their number.

Mrs Jones, 54, said: “It was frightening how much they knew. It didn't matter what we tried, they would keep ringing back.

“Even when I told him I didn't have a new bank account, the calls kept coming.

“They would call every day about two or three times a day and it got so bad in the end we had to change our number.”

“I knew it was a definitely a con because we no longer have that account and I'd heard the news about the recent decision on claims for bank charges not being allowed.

“It makes me angry because they might speak to people who could be taken in by them.

“We just wanted to warn people so no-one falls victim to this scam.”

The couple's daughter, Kaley, took down the number - 001323888121- and used an internet search engine to try and find out where the calls were coming from.

She found a number of comments on the Who Calls Me website from people with similar experiences.

Mr and Mrs Jones have reported the matter to the police but were told although they will investigate, there is little they can do because the calls are made from abroad.

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