DUMBARTON residents have reported a spate of bogus callers posing as computer technicians.

Police Scotland have asked the public to be wary of phone calls made by criminals posing as workers from various companies such as Microsoft, Norton and BT.

Reports to police have said the callers inform them there are faults or a virus on their computers and a request is then made for remote access to the machine in order to conduct a test.

Providing personal details can lead to the caller obtaining person financial details.

A Police spokesperson said: “These callers are often very convincing, and we would advise residents to be cautious when receiving these types of phone calls.

“When in doubt, end the call and contact your internet service provider’s security team for guidance.

“The risk of allowing someone remote access to a laptop or PC is that the fraudster can infect the machine with a virus, or they will request payment for work they allege has been undertaken.”

For more information on bogus callers visit the Police Scotland website on scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/personal-safety/doorstep-crime-and-bogus-callers/.