DOZENS of residents have been victims of contactless card fraud in Dorset over the course of the past year.

Since March 2016, five people have appeared before magistrates charged with using the payment cards for fraud.

Further offences have also been reported in the county.

As part of the frauds, stolen cards are used to easily pay for items in shops without the need for a PIN number or signature.

Although the limit is £30, fraudsters are able to go from shop to shop using the cards.

Contactless technology is available on pre-paid, debit, charge and credit cards, as well as key fobs, wearable devices including watches and wristbands and mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The earliest case to be heard by magistrates in Dorset relating to contactless card fraud took place in March last year.

It was alleged that the defendant had used a card to buy Jack Daniels from the One Stop in Seabourne Road, Pokesdown.

Last December, a man aged 44 was charged with using a contactless bank card in the Ashley Road branch of Peacocks to buy clothes worth £29.

In January, a woman appeared in court after allegedly visiting four shops in Seabourne Road and Southbourne Grove to fraudulently make contactless payments.

Two stolen bank cards were allegedly used by a man buying cigarettes in Southbourne Grove last October, while a contactless card was fraudulently used to buy items in St Michael's Road and at Sandford Services in Wareham, a court heard in February.

Police are also still searching for fraudsters who have yet to be brought before the courts.

Sometime between 8.30am and 1pm on Wednesday, February 15 a thief broke into a car parked in the High Street in Lytchett Matravers, stealing a wallet and a chainsaw.

The victim, a man in his 50s from Wimborne, later realised his bank card had been used for contactless payments in five stores between Sandford and Swanage.

And earlier this month, Peggy Boobier, 82, told the Daily Echo she feels "sickened" after her bag was snatched and more than £100 spent on her contactless cards within five minutes.

Mrs Boobier, who suffered a stroke two years ago and walks with a stick, said she was targeted as she walked around Lidl in Boscombe's Sovereign Centre on the afternoon of Saturday, April 1.

The thief went immediately to nearby Sports Direct where she spent more than £100 before Mrs Boobier had time to cancel the cards.

Richard Koch, head of policy at the UK Cards Association, said: “Fraud on contactless cards is low, at less than 3p for every £100 spent. Nevertheless you are fully protected against any fraud losses, so you will get all of your money back and will never be left out of pocket, unlike if you lose cash.

“Every contactless card has an in-built security check which means that from time-to-time you have to enter your PIN to verify you are the genuine card holder, which protects against larger losses.

"If you think you have lost your card, or that it might have been stolen, then you should contact your bank straight away."