Phone scam targeting Lincolnshire residents

Lincolnshire police are warning area residents about a banking-related telephone scam.

The department has received about five complaints about the calls in the last two weeks, police investigator Adam Hyde said Wednesday. None of the people who called police to report the calls fell for the trick, he said.

In the scam, an automated message says a problem has arisen with the potential victim's bank accounts and debit cards, police said.

People are then instructed to enter credit card or debit card numbers and the personal identification numbers for the cards.

Afterward, the message ends and the line goes dead, police said.

Police have confirmed the calls are fraudulent and are investigating.

Anyone who receives such a call should not provide personal information or credit-card numbers. They should also call their banks to verify their accounts are secure and to report the calls, police said.