A CONMAN posing as a Met police officer was foiled by his potential victim’s daughter.

The conman had got a pensioner to draw out thousands of pounds - and then told him to leave the cash in a secret location for them to collect.

The 87-year-old man, who lives off London Road, Rayleigh, was called by a man posing to be a police officer.

Without question, the pensioner took the large sum of cash from his bank, believing the situation to be of urgency.

It was only when he rang his daughter to explain the situation that she flagged up he was being scammed - and the police were informed.

PC Ian Risden, from the Castle Point and Rochford policing team, said: “The man pretending to be from the Met Police gave him a credible story to a degree and instructed the victim to go to his bank and withdraw a large sum of money amounting to thousands of pounds.

“He was then instructed to leave the money in a particular bush to collect. The gentleman concerned was initially doing what he was told. He figured out it was a scam when he contacted his daughter.

“We later went with him to the bank to ensure that he deposited the money back in.”

Police have not revealed which bank he took the money from - or how much was specifically taken.

Mr Risden said the community policing team is working with banks across Castle Point and Rochford to ensure that they spot signs of vulnerable victims.

A HSBC spokesman said branch staff are trained to keep an eye out for transactions which do not fit a customer’s normal spending pattern, would ask additional questions if they think something is suspicious and even call the police. He said: “Fraud is getting increasingly complex, with fraudsters using even more convincing and sophisticated techniques, regularly preying on vulnerable people. Talking about fraud with loved ones and the best ways of protecting yourself is an important step in reducing fraud.

“The best advice is to take five to stop and think.”

A spokesman for the Lloyds Banking Group said branch colleagues look to educate customers about the potential for fraud and common scams and will call 999 if they identify customers they think may be subject to fraud.

A Santander spokesman added that staff are trained in recognising fraud, have a “scam script” they read to customers withdrawing more than £1,500 and a process for colleagues to report suspicious transactions.

Anyone with information about the latest scam should call Essex Police straight away on 101 or independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.