THE investigation into an alleged card-cloning scam at a Southampton garage was continuing as police took more calls from potential victims.

Detectives received three more calls from residents claiming to have lost money or who have been informed by their bank that attempts were made to withdraw cash since the Daily Echo revealed the raid on the garage.

So far more than 80 people have reported the alleged scam to police, claiming withdrawals have been made from their accounts from as far away as Malaysia and Australia.

On Friday night police swooped on the Shell garage in Portsmouth Road in Woolston as part of a pre-planned raid on the premises. They also searched a house next door and in total three people were arrested at the scene.

One man was arrested on suspicion of fraud by misrepresentation and two others on alleged immigration offences. The latter pair were taken into custody while the other man was released on bail. He will return to a police station next week to answer bail, when officers are expected to quiz him.

It is believed officers have considerable paperwork to examine as part of their investigations.

Det Sgt Dave Jackson, based at Bitterne CID, confirmed that a man would answer bail on April 29.

Asked what advice police would give to people using cash or credit cards in chip and PIN machines, a police spokesman added: "In general we'd tell people to always be alert, always cover up the machine when entering your PIN in any shop and don't let your card out of sight.

"Shops and businesses can also take steps to try and stop this happening in their stores. If anyone comes purporting to be from a bank carrying out routine maintenance to your chip and PIN machine, be on your guard and make sure you double check this with the bank."