POLICE are warning residents about a new scam after a Melksham woman was duped into buying £400 in iTunes vouchers.

On Saturday afternoon the 47-year-old woman from Melksham became a victim of the scam when someone called her pretending to be from the HMRC, claiming she owed money.

The scammers threatened her with legal action and could possibly go to prison if she did not send the cash via iTunes vouchers.

After buying the vouchers the woman read the codes to them over the phone but later grew suspicious and phoned the police who were able to stop the transaction going through.

Melksham Police sergeant Kane Fulbrook-Smith said: “We strongly urge any members of the public to not part with cash in any form until requests have been verified.

“There are organised fraudsters who will prey on anyone if they show weakness.”