THE DEAF Association has put out a warning after it was discovered scammers were using the charity’s name to con people out of money.

A woman from the Dursley area contacted the Gloucestershire Deaf Association after she received a phone call on Saturday afternoon from a caller purporting to be from the charity and asking her to support a new project to help deaf babies. The caller wanted to woman to set up a direct debit of £20 a month to help fund the fake project.

Jenny Hopkins, operations manager at the Deaf Association, said: "Happily for us, the Dursley lady was on the ball and didn't give her details. She also had the good sense to phone us so we could be made aware of the scam.

"The Gloucestershire Deaf Association never makes cold calls, or indeed knocks on people's doors, to ask for donations, and we would also never ask for someone's bank details in this way."

Miss Hopkins added: "It happens to have been our charity's name used this time, but of course it could just as easily be another local charity's name used next time. We really want everyone to be on their guard."