Crimestoppers
Fearless
Calling out courier fraud
The cruel scam exploiting vulnerable people in our communities.
Imagine going about your usual day when your phone rings. You answer it – it’s the police!
They tell you that there’s been fraudulent activity on your bank account, and they need you to help in an investigation to get it sorted. They already have your name and address, but ask you to confirm your bank details and pin, just to make sure you’re legit.
You panic – this sounds serious.
They say they need you to withdraw £5,000 in cash to use as evidence in the case, and not to tell anyone you’re helping them, as this could jeopardise the investigation and you could be arrested. They send a courier over to pick up the money, and your bank card, all of which you’ll get back as soon as the investigation is finished.
You never hear from them again. You never get that money back.
This is courier fraud.
In 2021, over £15 million was lost to this scam.
Around 60% of victims are over 70, and whilst the average loss per person is around £5,000, the highest single sum stolen last year was £640,000. To the people targeted by courier fraud criminals, it’s devastating.
How do criminals trick people into courier fraud?
- Scammers call victims pretending to be the police or their bank, knowing just enough details, like names or addresses, to sound convincing. The scam centres around there being an issue around the victim's banking, and that without the victim’s co-operation they, or their money, will be at risk.
- The scammers scare victims with threats of arrest or causing problems with getting the money back if they tell anyone or won’t co-operate. They may even prompt victims to call their bank or local police force so victims can check that this is a real investigation, to lure the victim into a false sense of security.
- When victims try this, they’re not actually being disconnected from the original call, so whilst they think they are verifying details with someone new, they’re still on the same phone call, and talking to the same group of scammers.
- The ‘courier’ part of courier fraud is there because scammers will send someone round to collect the ‘evidence’ – usually cash or bank cards complete with pin numbers – or in some cases actually pick the victims up and take them to a bank, jewellers, or currency exchange to withdraw cash or buy expensive items to use as collateral in the investigation.
What are the signs to spot that someone might be a victim?
- Are they suddenly receiving more phone calls than usual, and not wanting to be overheard?
- Do they seem anxious or withdrawn?
- Are they suddenly more concerned or secretive about their finances than usual?
- If you have access to their bank accounts, are there unusual unexplained high-value withdrawals or purchases?
- Are they experiencing sudden money issues out of the blue?
- Have you noticed unusual visitors to your vulnerable neighbours?
With criminals tricking vulnerable people into buying expensive products as part of the scam, take a moment and think about the person in front of you, and whether the reason they say they are buying the item seems genuine:
- Have they asked for an item without needing to look at it, or ask any questions about it?
- Have they asked for the most expensive watch or item of jewellery, with cost being the only reason for wanting that item?
- Do they seem anxious? Do they just want to get the item and leave as quickly as possible?
- Are they on the phone to someone whilst they buy the items? This is so the criminals can listen to the conversation and make sure the victim says the right things.
What can you do to help stop the criminals behind it?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland:
If you’re worried about someone who might be a victim, you can talk to Action Fraud.
In Scotland:
Call Police Scotland on 101.
The kind of details that could help:
- The names/descriptions of any suspicious visitors to the victim’s home.
- Registration numbers or descriptions of vehicles that come to the victim’s home.
- If you’re a jeweller: descriptions of any suspicious possible courier fraud encounters – person details, transaction information.
We know how scary speaking up can be – you don’t want anyone to find out you said anything.
That’s why we’re here.
Our charity keeps you 100% anonymous, so no-one will ever know you talked to us - except you.
Why not learn more about our guarantee of anonymity, and how we’ve kept people anonymous for over 30 years?
You can contact us on the phone or online – just call free on 0800 555 111 or use our online form here on our website; 24/7, 365 days a year.
What help is out there for victims?
We understand that being scammed by courier fraud isn’t just financially devastating; the emotional toll it can take can be incredibly difficult. However, there is always support available to you.
- To report if you’ve been a victim of a scam, Action Fraud are available to help on 0300 123 2040 - or click the link to find out more.
- In an emergency, always call 999.
- If you’ve already given your bank details over the phone or handed your card to a courier, call your bank straight away.
