Mrs Barbara Rice, chairman of Brighouse Good Companions’ Club, was shocked when she received a phone call demanding £14.31p on an outstanding British Telecom bill.

She had transferred her calls to Talk Talk some time ago and in September decided to transfer her line rental as well to the same company. She paid her final bills to BT and received a refund because she had overpaid.

“When I got the phone call at home from someone claiming to be from BT’s credit office in Edinburgh saying I owed £14.31, I was very confused,” said Mrs Rice, who comes from Brighouse but now lives in Odsal.

“I tried arguing but I was told if I didn’t pay up my phone would be disconnected.”

Eventually she reluctantly gave out her band card details over the phone and from the information supplied, the caller immediately knew which bank she was with.

“As soon as I finished the call I knew I had made a mistake,” said Mrs Rice. “I was annoyed with myself for giving out the details.”

She immediately contacted her bank to stop her card but she realised if she hadn’t acted quickly her account would have been emptied.

The bank had had another similar call.

Mrs Rice also contacted BT who assured her she didn’t owe anything and also told her they would not contact people in that way.

“It worries me that whoever called had access to my phone and seemed to know I had changed to another telephone company,” she said. “I didn’t lose out financially but I want to warn other people if they get a similar phone call to put the phone down.”

She said BT’s fraud department was investigating the matter.