Residents in Hay-on-Wye are being warned about criminals posing as police officers in phone calls.

Dyfed-Powys Police said it had become aware of people pretending to be police officers and contacting residents in the area.

The scam, known as courier fraud, involves criminals posing as police officers or bank staff to persuade victims to hand over bank cards and personal information.

Callers may claim a bank has detected a fraudulent payment or that a card needs replacing. They may then offer to send a courier to collect the card.

Victims may also be asked to write down their PIN and place it in an envelope with the card.

Police warned that callers may know basic personal details, such as a person's full name and address, to make the call appear genuine.

They may also provide a phone number that appears to belong to a bank. In some cases, criminals keep the phone line open after the victim hangs up, allowing them to pass the call to another fraudster posing as someone who can verify their identity.

The force urged anyone receiving such a call not to engage with the caller or give out personal or financial information.

Residents should hang up, block the number and report the incident to police online or by calling 101.