FARMERS and vulnerable residents of the Selby district have been targeted by new phone scams.

On Friday, a disabled man living in Selby received a phone call from an unknown male who claimed he had won a prize.

After answering a number of questions, the disabled man was told he had won a holiday, and within minutes, the man on the other end of the phone arrived at his home.

A police spokesman said the man was black, possibly Indian, and had a Leeds accent. He was told to leave the property.

Also in the last week, at least four members of the farming community have received calls from fraudsters claiming to be from a Card Services department, but never mentioning a specific bank.

The callers explain there has been a fraudulent payment on their card and advise them to phone the number on the back of the card, but without disconnecting the line.

They were then advised a new bank account had been opened for them, and their funds should be transferred across.

A police spokesman said the fraud was “so simple but highly effective”, and urged anyone who receives a call or visit from someone they do not feel comfortable dealing with to either hang up the telephone or ask them to leave, and call the police on 101.