The elderly and vulnerable are often targeted
A woman has been conned into handing over £7,400 after she was duped by a gang posing as police investigating card fraud.
They used a phone scam to make her believe she was talking first to a Visa fraud investigator and then detectives.
The 75-year-old from Lancing ended up drawing out the maximum amount of cash she could and handing it over.
Det Con Jennie Hutchinson said people needed to be aware of such scams and to be vigilant.
How it works
Such incidents are called courier fraud or telephone scams and Sussex Police have said they are becoming increasingly common, with the elderly and vulnerable often targeted.
Fraudsters call the intended victim claiming to be the police or a bank and tell them their card has been fraudulently used and they must act urgently to protect themselves.
They suggest the victim hangs up and a ring a fictional phone number - which they claim is for the bank or police - to ensure the call is genuine.
But the scammers stay on the line and hand their phone to an accomplice posing as a police officer or bank employee.
They then tell victims to key in or read out their PIN number and then send a courier or taxi to collect the card - giving them full access to the account.
Recent variations - as in the Lancing incident - have seen victims asked to withdraw large sums of money and take it home where it is collected.
Det Con Hutchinson said the woman believed she was handing her cash to a courier on Tuesday.
The first man she spoke to told her he was from the Visa Special Investigation Fraud Team, and he passed her to another person who said she was a police constable, and a third person who said they were a detective.
The man who collected the money was described as Asian in his late teens with a slim build and short hair, wearing a dark body warmer and jeans.
Anyone who has information is urged to contact the force.
