GOOD samaritan Tarryn Giddey is warning residents to be on their guard after she was duped into giving cash to a woman who said her son had been rushed to hospital.

Miss Giddey, 25, was outraged to learn the woman posing as a distraught mother is operating as a fraudster after she saw her approaching other people for money offering her passport as a deposit.

She told the Times: "About two months ago, my flatmate and I were walking home at about 10.30pm. We were just metres from home at the corner of Mattock Road and Culmington Road, when a woman came running up to us asking if we spoke English.

"She claimed there had been an accident which involved her son and that the doctors were not telling her anything. She was clearly distraught and out of breath from running.

"She pleaded with us for any money to allow her to take a taxi costing £40 to the hospital so she could join her family who were already at the bedside. She offered both her British passport and her watch as security for any money borrowed.

"As it was, we had very little cash between us Ð the story sounded a bit odd but as she was so visibly upset we gave her about £5 and apologised for not being able to help any further."

A month later Miss Geddey saw the same woman approaching shoppers in the Waitrose supermarket in West Ealing using the same story and then again last Friday night approaching people on Uxbridge Road.

All three incidents have been reported to the police and officers are urging members of the public not to part with their cash if they are approached.

Sergeant Colin Kennedy, of Ealing Police, said: "This matter has been reported to us and is now being investigated by our officers."

The woman is described as Asian with long dark, slightly curly hair below her shoulders. She is slim and attractive and 5ft 4ins tall.

She was wearing denim jeans and a jacket and has a large black leather bag. Her passport is British.

Anyone with information should call PC Roger Darlow at Ealing on 020 8246 1182