THE public is being warned about a telephone scam.

The scammers have been targeting residents in the Teme Valley, within the Malvern Hills policing district.

People have reported that they are receiving scam telephone calls purporting to be from HMRC, BT or Microsoft.

The reasons given for the calls vary according to the purported identity of the service provider.

For example, in the case of Microsoft people may be warned that their computer has been hacked and requested to use their computer to help rectify the issue.

HMRC scammers seek to persuade you that you are entitled to a tax rebate and request information to "confirm your identity" and "make repayments to your bank."

If you are at all uncertain of the identity of the caller then police have urged caution, particularly if the caller seeks to obtain personal details such as your date of birth, computer passwords, financial information, bank account details etc.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "Please remain vigilant, be sceptical, and don't become a victim of the scammers."