PENSIONERS have been conned out of hundreds of pounds in a potentially ongoing series of frauds.

Police are trying to trace two men believed to be tricking pensioners into handing over their bank details by pretending to be from the police or the bank.

Officers say a 74-year-old woman in Brighton was conned last Monday and they have received calls today from people across Sussex reporting similar scams.

Police have released CCTV images of two men they want to speak to over the frauds – and warn more people could fall victim.

Sussex Police Detective Sergeant Cheryl Lewendon said: “Unless we catch those responsible it is likely that they will target more elderly or vulnerable people.”

The 74-year-old victim told police she was at home in Rottingdean when a man telephoned claiming to be from her bank’s fraud department.

He told her to call the number on the back of her card but unbeknown to her he stayed on the line, so she spoke to him again when she thought she was calling her bank. Minutes later a courier arrived at her home and collected her old card, which was then used to spend hundreds of pounds in shops in Brighton.

The courier was described as black, 5' 7" or 5' 8", of average build and about 30.

The card was used in shops by a man described as being of Middle Eastern appearance who was 25 to 30 and of large build. He was wearing a baseball cap and hooded top.

Shortly after midday today, a man phoned a 94-year-old woman in Kemp Town and also persuaded her to give him her bank account details and then to give her card to a courier.

Her card was later used to withdraw £500, police said.

Calls are known to have been made to residents in Worthing, Steyning, Hassocks, Eastbourne, Plumpton, Portslade, Hove, Rottingdean, Saltdean, Woodingdean and Brighton.

Email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 1327 of 17/11, call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.