A telephone phishing scam, which purports to come from the NSW Police Force, has surfaced in NSW over the past 24 hours.

About a dozen Sydney residents have reported receiving an automated phone call purportedly from a NSW District Court.

The fraudsters operate by calling people and asking them to "press 1" on their phone which transfers them to a fake fraud investigator.

In a number of reported cases, that scammer has claimed to be Detective Superintendent Colin Dyson from the NSW Fraud Squad, according a release issued by NSW Police today.

The scammers then request the resident's bank account details and other verifying information for an alleged money laundering investigation.

According to the real Colin Dyson, victims are being told they have missed a court appearance or that they are the victim of an identity scam before the courts and should move their money to another bank account to protect it.

"I want to make it clear that I did not, and would not, make such calls. Furthermore, the NSW Police Force would not contact a person and tell them to transfer money into another bank account," Dyson warned.

"People did provide bank details, but they have since contacted their bank and closed the accounts," Dyson told Computerworld.

"A Fraud Squad strike force is investigating this scam which, based on our intelligence, emanates from a similar scam which has been operating in New York."

So far none of the residents contacted by the scammers are involved in matters before the District Court.

"If you have already been contacted and have provided your bank account details, it is suggested you contact your financial institution immediately and report it to police," he said.

(Rodney Gedda contributed to this report.)