Dozens of Portsmouth residents targeted by scam calls to defraud them of cash, figures show

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DOZENS of Portsmouth residents have been targeted by scam calls in attempts to defraud them.

Business broadband company Bionic have analysed data which shows the city is one of the most prevalent areas in the south east of England for nuisance calls.

According to figures from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), and Action Fraud, show 300 reported fraudulent communications have been in Portsmouth over the past year.

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Here's what you should do if you are targeted by a scam text or call
A woman using a smartphone in front of a laptop. Picture: ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images.A woman using a smartphone in front of a laptop. Picture: ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images.
A woman using a smartphone in front of a laptop. Picture: ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP via Getty Images.

The most common scam call – 59 out of the 300 reported – offers people a fake deal to save money on energy bills.

PO16, over Portchester and Fareham, is the most target postcode.

In the south east, a total of £45,700 has been lost from a total of 259 nuisance communications.

Most scam involve people contacting you out of the blue and often use premium rate or mobile phone numbers.

In a lot of cases, fraudsters will pressure you to make a decision and ask for payment details.

Advice can be found on Action Fraud here.