Helston residents have been urged to be on alert following reports of fraudsters attempting to entice people into transferring money.

Issued by Devon and Cornwall Police this week, they said a scam is going around involving messages which seem to be from a family member/friend asking for money or vouchers.

Criminals try to contact victims by email, WhatsApp message, and other forms of messaging, purporting to be known to the recipient. They give a storyline for a (normally emotive or emergency) reason why they need money.

The fraudsters normally pretend to be in a hurry, most likely to entice their victims to take immediate action, asking for money to be transferred or for vouchers to be purchased and for the codes to be given to them.

A spokesperson for the police added:

"This is a scam, please be wary of any similar messages of this type. If you receive a message asking you to financially help someone or asking you to purchase something please make contact with them in person or via a telephone call to verify they are who they say they are. If you believe you may have been a victim of fraud please contact Action Fraud.

"If you have any concerns please email [email protected] or use the webchat facility on the Devon & Cornwall Police website."

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