Unfortunately, it seems dealing with those purporting to be from telecommunications, insurance and airline companies and asking for personal information, including bank account details, names and dates of birth, has become a hazard of today’s world.

In one recent instance an 89-year-old Albury pensioner lost almost $10,000 when he was tricked into giving his details to a shyster claiming to be a Telstra employee.

Police say the callers are skilled in obtaining details, and even pre-recorded messages are used to convince people they have won something, or the caller is acting in their interest against a claim from someone else.

The harsh reality is that everyone must remain wary of unsolicited calls from people offering them some sort of deal.

Giving personal details over the phone to an unknown caller is unwise, even if the person claims to be from a reputable agency, bank or company.

The police advice is don’t offer any details, ask for a job reference number, the caller’s name and then call back to confirm the veracity of their claim.