A BUSINESS has warned the community of a scam caller pretending to be a police officer. 

Bearhouse Saddlery owner, Peter Barnett, 63, has warned locals after receiving a very 'believable' call from a scam caller pretending to be a Police Detective Constable. 

Peter received the call on April 23 and said the officer had asked if he had lost his card after it had been found cloned. 

He said: "I was at work in my workshop when he called my work number and said he was a Police officer from Holborn Police station. He said they had had some cloned debit cards and asked if I had lost any cards lately?

"I checked my wallet and said no, I've not lost anything. He gave me his name and his badge number and need you to call 999 and they will verify my details."

Peter, wise to the strangeness of the situation, called 999 on a different phone and gave police the details who confirmed it was not them.

He believes the scammer holds an open phone line so if you are to call back on the same phone, it routes you back to him.

He said: "Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard something saying that I wasn't sure it was a policeman or whether it was about bank security.

"I rang 999 off my mobile number and the lady I spoke to didn't seem surprised. she took all the details and came back a few minutes later when no one of this name or badge number appeared on the system."

While a close call for Peter, he stated the call was 'plausible' and believes a warning is needed to be put out to avoid other people falling victim. . 

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "Dorset Police has received an increase in reports of people being contacted by scammers posing as their bank or the police.

"These criminals claim the victim's bank account has been compromised and they need to urgently transfer their money to a "safe account."

"The police and legitimate banks will never ask you to transfer money or share your account information over the phone."