FRAUDSTERS are feared to have taken thousands of pounds off Canvey shoppers after a card cloning machine was found at a supermarket.

It is believed the cash machine at Morrisons, in Northwick Road, has been cloning people’s cards over the past few days, with fraudsters attempting to steal £3,000 out of some residents’ accounts.

Kim Connor said her dad, John Chapman, 79, only uses the cash machine at Morrisons, on Canvey, and this week someone tried to take cash out of his account in Indonesia.

Mrs Connor, 55, said: “Someone tried to take £130 from his account. They managed to get one lot of cash out, but then the bank stopped a second and third attempt. The bank gave him his money back though.”

Mr Chapman, who lives in Basildon, does his shopping at Morrisons and believes his card was cloned either last Wednesday or the Tuesday before.

Mrs Connor added: “He got his money back, but the fact it is happening is worrying.”

A spokeswoman for Morrisons confirmed they were aware of the scam.

She said: “A customer made our management team at the store aware of this in the last hour and we have notified our area security team, who are contacting the banks responsible.

“We, as always, ask customers to be vigilant.”

If customers notice anything suspicious, they are encouraged to tell staff in store and notify their bank.

Morrisons is not responsible for operating the cash points at the Canvey store.

A number of residents who used the cash point found scammers in Indonesia and Hong Kong tried to steal large amounts of money from their accounts.

Dozens of accounts are thought to have been targeted over the last week with many banks stopping the transactions, after being alerted to unusual activity.

However a number of residents have fallen victim to the scam, with one businessman having more than £1,000 taken from his account during the weekend.

Residents took to Facebook to complain about the card cloning machine.

Essex Police were unable to confirm how many residents have been affected.