RESIDENTS are being urged to be on their guard against telephone fraudsters claiming to be from the county council.

The authority has issued an alert after receiving reports of people getting calls from someone asking them if they’d had an accident at work or been involved in a car crash.

Trading standards officers suspect that the calls are an attempt to gain people’s personal details, possibly a prelude to trying to obtain money.

A county council spokesman said: “Hampshire County Council will not cold call to ask for money over the telephone.

"Our advice is to never give out personal information and never to pay any money over the phone to unknown persons.”

Anyone receiving a suspicious call can report it via the council’s website or by calling the Citizens’ Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.