IT is all too easy to dismiss as foolish and gullible those people who fall victim to phone scammers such as those purporting to be calling from Amazon we report on today.

The latest scam begins with an automated telephone call, ending with the victim downloading a piece of software, which gives the criminal access to the victim’s computer.

This is a variation on a theme of the fraudster calling up in person but the end result is the same; someone loses hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds. At least 200 people across the country have been defrauded of close to £500,000.

No matter how smart we all like to think we are and that we’d never fall for that old ploy, if we are off-guard, we stand to lose out.

A spokesman for Amazon said: “Customers should never provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers.”

If you’re not expecting a call from Amazon offering you a free anything (and why would you?) put the phone down immediately.

If it sounds too good to be true, it will be.