Scammers posing as poppy appeal collectors are targeting victims by taking donations on contactless card machines, police have warned.
The fraudsters have been spotted claiming to be taking collections for The Royal British Legion.
However, the charity organisation has warned that its collectors do not use contactless machines to accept money.
The sighting has prompted police to warn against the scam in Gwynedd, North Wales.
A North Wales Police spokesman said: 'Please be aware that we have received reports of people in the Gwynedd South area claiming to be taking collections for the Royal British Legion using contactless facilities.
'They do not have any ID and are unknown to the local residents that have been approached.
'The Royal British Legion have confirmed to us that none of their collectors are using contactless machines.
'If you are approached by someone asking for donations to the Royal British Legion via contactless, do not give them any money and report this to police immediately.
'If you have information about this scam or have been approached, please contact us via our website or by calling 101.'
It wasn't the first time police have been forced to step in to warn about scams claiming to be raising money for charity.
Back in 2019 the public was warned about fraudsters cashing in on Remembrance Sunday with a string of online merchandise scams.
Scammers were claim their wares commemorate our war dead and they donate to charities including the Royal British Legion, without any official charity tie-in.
One Facebook ad by a site calling itself Heroes Forever, offering lapel badges at £12.95 each, garnered 285,000 views.
The website claimed the Royal British Legion “benefits” from sales.
But people who have ordered items said weeks later nothing has arrived in the post.
The RBL says it is probing the Heroes Forever site, which has now been taken down, as well as two sites called heroesinflanders and inflandersfields.
The Royal British Legion said: “Sales of legitimate RBL poppy products raise vital funds for our work.
“Commercial entities who raise funds on behalf of the RBL must do so under contract.
"We monitor the activities of those who claim to raise money on our behalf to ensure their activities are legitimate.”
