A Lochaber resident has had a five-figure sum stolen from their bank account as police have urged the public to be vigilant of telephone banking fraud.
Police were made aware of the fraud in Fort William earlier this week and have urged caution from members of the public.
The victim reported that they received a telephone call from an unknown number from someone with a local accent, claiming to be the branch manager of their local bank.
The caller then asked the person to transfer funds into a separate account which is thought to be operated by the fraudsters.
Constable Keri Jones, of the prevention and intervention team in Inverness, said: “People targeted by these types of incidents are left shaken by what has happened and I would urge everyone to be wary of any online or telephone scams that are related to finances.
“If you are speaking to someone on the phone, please do not give them any personal information or bank details, even if they seem to know some of your details already.
“Many fraudsters use advanced techniques to make them appear genuine and it is important to remember that your bank would never ask you to transfer money to another account.
“I would advise anyone who receives a call like this to politely hang up and contact their bank directly to discuss any irregularities surrounding their bank account.
“If anyone has concerns surrounding this type of incident or has received a call of a similar nature, I would ask that you contact police on 101.”
Further information on fraudulent scams and how you can remain safe can be found on the Police Scotland website here.