POLICE are warning residents in north Dorset about fraudsters claiming to be from BT Openreach.

Sherborne Town Neighbourhood Policing Team has received reports from residents about callers who claim there are internet issues in the area and that the recipient of the call is entitled to compensation for the inconvenience.

The caller asks for bank details, claiming compensation will be paid but the details are used to steal money from the account instead.

Alternatively the caller may try to persuade their victim into installing software on their computer, or ask them to perform commands on their computer with the intention of gaining remote access to their device. They will then scour the victim’s computer for bank details and may even use those details later in an identity theft crime.

Police have urged people to be on their guard and to keep anti-virus software up to date.