PHONE scammers posing as police officers are preying on the elderly in Oxfordshire.

A Facebook post on the Wantage and Grove community group warned residents of the hoax calls following an incident yesterday when a woman received a call from a person impersonating an officer.

She was told that her nephew was in custody as they claimed he had been using her credit and debit cards.

The post read: "Thankfully, straight away she was aware this was not right and not even related to the named person they mentioned."

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Two more people took to social media to report about similar incidents.

One Facebook user Julia Kenda commented: "I have received a call like this too.

"I was very surprised to hear they had my grandson in custody as my eldest is only 15.

"However, it must be very upsetting and confusing for an older person."

Another woman Hilary Horn also shared her experience: "This happened to me - they said it was my grandson and that they were the Met police from London." 

CPR, a company that manufactures call blockers worldwide, warned that this is a new telephone scam targeting grandparents currently sweeping the United States and is set to hit the UK.

Business development manager Chelsea Davies explained that the popular scam also sees a 'relative' explain they are in trouble and ask for financial help.

The manager added: "In our experience of working across the US and UK, scams spread quickly across the pond so it is sensible for grandparents in Oxfordshire to be on their guard as we have no doubt that fraudsters operating in the UK will soon start using these tactics."