A serious crime officer has issued a warning after Felixstowe residents were among those tricked by fraudster into handing over laptops and smart phones to criminals.

DC David St John, of the serious economic crime unit, spoke out after Adekoya Adefowora, 38, from Erith, and Deborah Oyeniyi, 23, of Canning Town, each admitted seven counts of fraud by false representation and were jailed last week.

Adefowora was sent to prison for one year and three months and Oyeniyi was jailed for a year.

The couple ordered laptops and an Apple iPhone online, using personal details of people they didn't know to pay for them through a finance option but when the items were delivered to those people's homes in May last year, the pair arrived a short time later wearing courier uniforms and told them the items had been delivered to the wrong address.

Five of the seven residents, who lived in Felixstowe and Colchester returned the items, but two refused after becoming suspicious and one took the registration number of a car they were using, which led to their arrest.

DC St John said: "Adefowora and Oyeniyi are now paying the price for their crimes, having had no consideration for either the companies or individuals they targeted as part of their fraud.

"There are some simple steps to help protect yourself against criminals looking to steal your personal details.

"If you receive an unsolicited email or phone call asking for your bank security details, never reveal your full password, login details or account numbers. Check your statements carefully and report anything suspicious to your bank or financial service provider.

"Don't throw out anything with your name, address or financial details without shredding it carefully first. If you receive items in the post with your name and address on that you didn't order, contact the company it came from and do not hand it back to a courier."