Britain’s largest bank has issued an urgent warning following a spike in a new scam targetted at those struggling with the cost of living.

Lloyds Bank says it has seen a 90pc surge in so-called “advance fee” frauds in which scammers pose as a legitimate firm and demand money upfront for a loan. Victims have lost an average of £231, the bank said. 

The scam sees fraudsters contact victims who have entered their details into a seemingly professional website after searching for a loan online. 

Lloyds said scammers were posing as representatives of legitimate loan companies – even sending documents to back up their claims. It said reports of advance fee fraud had increased by more than 90pc already this year, with the number of cases “continuing to rise sharply”.

Liz Ziegler, of the bank, said fraudsters were praying on customers with poor credit scores or those who were in financial difficulty as living costs rise. 

“Organised crime gangs will ruthlessly exploit any change in consumer behaviour. We saw that during the pandemic with the surge in purchase scams as certain goods became scarce and more people shopped online.“

“The important thing to remember is that a genuine loan company will never ask for an upfront payment before releasing the funds. If you’re concerned in any way about your finances there are lots of organisations that can help, and it always makes sense to speak to your bank first.”

Kenilworth Watch are warning residents there’s little doubt that scammers are taking advantage of the cost-of-living crisis, as those in desperate times are less likely to conduct proper checks if they can get some desperately needed money easily.

The message to everyone is clear – Customers should be extra vigilant when receiving any communication from financial institutions – especially unsolicited correspondence.

Motorists are being advised to consider using a visible deterrent such as a steering lock on high value motor vehicles that criminals are attracted to steal. The advice, from Warwickshire Police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team for Kenilworth, comes following the theft of a BMW series 2 overnight.

Between 0100hrs and 0300hrs on Saturday 21 May 2022 offenders broke into a property at Crackley Cottages, Coventry Road, Kenilworth.

The offenders forced the lock of a rear door at the property and entered the kitchen where they stole a set of keys for a white BMW 240i motor vehicle which they then stole from where it was parked at the property.

This is incident 46 of 21 May 2022

If you think you may have seen or heard anything, have any CCTV or information about this incident then please contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

At approximately 0150hrs on Tuesday 17 May 2022 a black Range Rover Sport was stolen from a property at Highland Road, Kenilworth.

Police were informed immediately and spotted the stolen vehicle being driven in Manor Road, Kenilworth. The police vehicle was hit by the stolen vehicle making off towards High Street.

The stolen vehicle crashed and was abandoned nearby causing damage to a wall. A person made off from the vehicle, and was quickly arrested by police. The stolen vehicle has been recovered.

The vehicle was stolen without keys indicating that this was a “keyless vehicle theft”. This means it’s likely the vehicle has been stolen using “Keyless Theft” equipment that intercepts the signal between the vehicle and the vehicles keys.

We advise all owners of vehicles with keyless entry systems to switch off the key signal when the vehicle has been locked if they have such technology. More importantly, a steering lock device and placing the keys in a metal container or metal lined pouch is the most effective way of deterring and preventing these type of thefts.

This is incident 31 of 17 May 2022

Did you see or witness anything in relation to this incident? If so please contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or alternatively Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

WARWICKSHIRE POLICE’S Safer Neighbourhood Team for Kenilworth are appealing to the public to keep a close eye out for individuals or groups loitering around near to Odibourne Allotments, Park Road, Kenilworth

The request for vigilance, and to report any criminal activity immediately by calling 999, comes after several panes of glass have been smashed through half bricks being thrown at greenhouses on the allotments on more than one occasion recently.

This is incident 82 of 2 May 2022

If you think you may have seen or heard anything suspicious or have information about this incident and matters of criminal damage at the allotments please contact Warwickshire Police on 101. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Please be aware that a second stored caravan has received unwanted attention by criminals at winter storage premises on Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth. It is believed that the caravan was broken into sometime from Friday 15th and Friday 29th April and potentially at the same time as another caravan was stolen on Tuesday 19th April 2022. In this case offenders have broken into a white “Swift Fairway 560” caravan. Offenders smashed the locks, carried out an untidy search and damaged the internal fittings of the caravan. The seats in the caravan were stolen.

This is incident 217 of 29 April 2022

Please be aware that between 0800hrs and 0830hrs on Saturday 30 April 2022 offenders have entered the frontage of a property at Thornby Avenue, Kenilworthand stolen a 1400mm x 700mm white radiator, a Mira “Advance” electric shower and a wash basin complete with two new taps. The items were being stored under cover outside the property while bathroom renovations were ongoing.

This is incident 92 of 30 April 2022

If you think you may have seen or heard anything, have any CCTV footage or information about either of these incidents then please contact Warwickshire Police on 101 or alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111