A woman attempted to steal the bank account details of a person from Norfolk by claiming she was unwell and wished to transfer her £450,000 fortune to the victim.

The scam saw the woman tell the person she was severely ill and had no one else to give the money to.

She then asked them to share their bank details and other personal information while encouraging them to pay out in order to receive the inheritance.

Following the incident, Norfolk Trading Standards has warned fraudsters will ask victims to pay various fake fees such as taxes, legal fees and banking fees claiming this will allow them to release the non-existent inheritance.

Each time a payment is made, fraudsters come up with a reason why the inheritance cannot be paid out unless another payment is made.

They will also give reasons why fees cannot be taken from the inheritance and have to be paid upfront.

In the event someone becomes reluctant to pay a fee or suggests they cannot afford it, the scammers will put pressure on by reminding the victim how close they are to receiving a sum of money much greater than the fees they have already handed over.

The fraudsters may also ask for bank details so they can pay the inheritance directly into your bank account.

But if these are handed over scammers will empty the account.

Instances of the scam can be reported via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.