A WARNING has been issued after Keighley people were targeted in a phone scam.

Callers claiming to be from BT have been trying to steal personal details from home computers.

Now a senior Keighley town councillor, alerted to the scam by a colleague, is urging people to be on their guard.

And BT echoes the plea for vigilance.

Councillor Michael Westerman, who chairs the town council's watch and transport committee, said the callers claimed to be from BT's "billing department" or "technical services".

"They tell you there are problems with downloading and ask you to switch on your computer and then enter a code number," said Cllr Westerman.

"This then gives them access to your machine and all the information held in it, including passwords, online bank details etc.

"A colleague became a victim but notified his bank immediately to ensure no money was stolen.

"I was told by the police that they have had many reports of this, it's been happening on a major scale.

"Clearly if you're not a BT customer you will know immediately it is a scam.

"If you are a customer, don't give them any of your personal information or access to your computer. Hang up – you can always then leave it five minutes and call BT yourself via 150 to double check."

BT says it proactively warns customers to be on their guard.

"We take the security of our customers' accounts very seriously," a spokesman told the Keighley News.

"Fraudsters use various methods to 'glean' your personal or financial details with the ultimate aim of stealing from you. This can include trying to use your BT bill and account number.

"Our advice is that customers should never share their BT account number with anyone and always shred bills.

"Be wary of calls or e-mails you're not expecting. Even if someone quotes your BT account number, you shouldn't trust them with your personal information.

"We'll never ask customers for personal information out of the blue or call from an 'unknown' number. If we're getting in touch about your bill, it will usually be from either 0800 328 9393 or 0800 028 5085."

For more details and advice, visit bt.com/scams.

Anyone targeted by scammers is encouraged to report it to Action Fraud, the national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.

It can be contacted via the BT website or by calling 0300 123 2040.