Police warned people today to be vigilant after reports were received of scammers targeting businesses and residents.

Individuals posing as representatives of local banks were said to be contacting customers and falsely claiming that fraudulent activity was detected on their accounts.

Police said the scammers then requested login credentials but once they gained access to accounts, the fraudsters quickly transferred funds from there to overseas locations.

The Bermuda Police Service said the matter should be discussed with seniors since they were often the target of fraudsters.

Residents were reminded that bank representatives will never ask for personal account login credentials over the phone.

In addition, the police said that if someone was uncertain about the legitimacy of a call, they should hang up immediately and contact the bank directly by phone or in person.

The BPS also urged people not to download or install any third-party software at the request of someone who claimed to be a bank representative.

When e-mails are received and it is claimed they are from the bank, they should be checked to ensure headers match the details of legitimate e-mails previously received.