Lewisham Police are enlisting the public's help to find a fraudster posing as a nurse who knocks on doors and asks for emergency taxi money.

Police have been investigating the fraud for months and are hoping to catch the culprit before she targets another victim.

As part of the scam, she claims to either be a nurse who has received an urgent call back to work or to be having a family emergency.

She normally says her husband has taken the car or her bank card - and then pleads for money for a taxi to get to hospital.

Ward Sergeant James O'Neill told News Shopper: "She always claims to be a neighbour and is overtly friendly towards her victims, promising to return and reimburse them - but never does.

"From postings [we have seen] on social media she has been quite successful with this scam and has managed to convince lots of people to give her money.

"We have several witnesses who have provided statements concerning the incident and we believe we know who the female is.

"She was arrested and bailed in connection with the offence but failed to appear on her bail date and is now wanted by us."

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The woman is described as a very slim black female in her mid-forties.

She has shoulder-length braided hair and normally wears a black dress under an ankle-length black coat.

Sgt O'Neill said: "She always appears very well spoken and earnest in what she is saying - as I said, she is very convincing.

"She has targeted several elderly residents on the Ward to our knowledge and we are keen to apprehend her before she makes any more victims in Lewisham.

"The offence is being investigated as fraud rather than simple begging as the female puts on a very convincing act and appears distressed to those she targets."

Historically she has targeted the Hither Green area but recent reports have been in the Rushey Green and Catford areas.