DETECTIVES have launched an investigation into a credit card scam, which has seen more than £20,000 stolen from victims' bank accounts.

More than 40 people have fallen victim to a skimming' scam in Trowbridge, in which card details are copied and then used. One victim, a 57-year-old woman from Trowbridge who asked not to be named, had £500 stolen from her account.

She told the Wiltshire Times: "I only ever use it in stores or petrol stations.

"My card wasn't working correctly so I rang the credit card company. The fraud department said the card had been refused four or five times.

"The worrying part is I don't let the card out of my sight and I only shop in regular stores. All my personal stuff is put through the shredder.

"I hadn't written the code anywhere, it was just in my head. Someone must have watched me over my shoulder.

"The people of Trowbridge should know about this sort of thing and be wary."

Police have launched an investigation and believe it is possible the victims may all have been targeted as part of the same scam, although no single source has been found so far.

Det Con Brian McAuley of Trowbridge CID said: "Skimming is a national problem and it is now becoming an issue in Trowbridge.

"They are taking card details and using them and that is a risk in any shop. These people are quite shrewd. They don't necessarily clear your bank account, what they can do is take a little bit and hope people don't notice."

Dc McAuley said the number of complaints coming in to police had begun to tail off. It is thought people have not noticed anything amiss until they have received their monthly statements. It is possible there are other victims who have either not noticed any money missing or are dealing with the problem directly with their bank rather than reporting it to the police.

Skimming is when an employee with access to credit or debit cards, such as someone working in a shop, restaurant or garage, illegally copies down the card details.

It is also possible for the card's pin number to be taken when the holder enters it to make a payment. Dc McAuley said: "You should make sure you cover up your pin number so no-one can see you enter it and you should never let someone take the card out of your sight."