FRAUDSTERS have conned five people from Abingdon out of £25,000 in the past three weeks, and police are now urging residents to be on their guard.

Thames Valley Police is sending out a warning, after reports that scammers have been targeting unsuspecting victims and convincing them to hand over large sums of cash.

One fraudster even convinced a woman to go and buy Rolex watches from Goldsmiths jewelers in the Clarendon Centre in Oxford on Christmas Eve, just days before the store was smashed in and burgled.

In the past three weeks five people in Abingdon handed over a total of about £25,000 in cash after being contacted by telephone by fraudsters asking for money.

The caller claimed to be a police officer, fraud investigator or bank employee and convinced his victims to withdraw cash by claiming he needed the victim to work undercover to expose fraud or because their bank account had been compromised.

Some victims hung up on the fraudster and then telephoned their bank to confirm this claim straight away.

But the con artist kept the telephone line open so, even though a number was dialled, it was not connected.

The victims were still on the phone to the fraudsters and were further misled by a woman falsely claiming to be from the bank who repeated the deception.

They were then convinced to withdraw cash from their bank accounts, seal it in an envelope and hand it to a courier who called at their door later that evening.

One woman was tricked into transferring cash into another bank account.

Another woman was also convinced to buy two Rolex watches from a jewellers and hand them to a courier.

The couriers who collected cash from victims were all described as Asian.

One of them was a slim man, another one was in his late twenties, slim and less than six foot tall with an English accent.

Another was described as in his early thirties, 5ft 10ins and overweight. He was wearing a dark fleece with numbers on the shoulder.

The final man was in his thirties, 5ft 4ins, slim, with short dark hair and a black beard. He was wearing a white zip up jacket.

Det Sgt Francesca Jarvis of local CID based at Abingdon police station, said:

“The offenders are very plausible and target honest and upstanding members of the community. Unfortunately they target vulnerable people, including the elderly.

“The more we can spread the word about this type of fraud the less success the fraudsters will have.

“I would urge everyone to remain vigilant and ensure you, your friend and family, know what to do should someone attempt this fraud.

“One of the victims was also told to buy Rolex watches and went to Goldsmiths jewelers in the Clarendon Shopping Centre, Cornmarket Street, Oxford at about 4pm on Wednesday 23 December 2015 and 10am on Thursday 24 December.

“She bought watches on the first visit and the man who collected them from her home was described as Asian, in his thirties, 5ft 4ins, slim, with short dark hair and a black beard. He was wearing a white zip up jacket.

“She may have been watched as she went to the jewellers and I would like to speak to anyone who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at these times to get in touch.”

Anyone with information should contact Det Sgt Francesca Jarvis via 101.