An investigation is under way after a spate of attempted frauds involving con artists pretending to be police officers resulted in one victim losing around £7,000 in cash.

Residents in Sittingbourne and Faversham are reminded to be vigilant after police received 13 reports between Monday and Tuesday (April 28 and 29).

The fraudsters posed as officers and claimed there had been criminal activity linked to the victim’s bank accounts.

They then instructed them to withdraw large amounts of cash, which would be collected by a courier to assist the investigation.

Inspector Julia Bassindale said: “While most of those who received these calls suspected they were bogus, one of the victims had around £7,000 in cash stolen and an investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances.

“These criminals can be very persuasive and will often target pensioners and other vulnerable people in our communities.

“Please remember, a police officer would never ask a member of the public for their bank details or money over the phone.

“If you receive a similar call, the advice is to hang up immediately and report it to Kent Police.”

Anybody with information relating to these incidents is urged to call the appeals line on 01795 419119, quoting reference 46/70456/25.

You can also contact Action Fraud on 0300 1232040 or report suspicious activity online by visiting its website.