Courier scams are costing millions - how to protect your loved ones

The latest type of courier scam has been back in the news recently when a West London man was sentenced to five years in prison for tricking people into handing over their money.  

He persuaded one victim to go to their bank and withdraw £5,000, which was then handed over to a courier, under the false premise of keeping it safe.

This sentencing comes as courier scams are on the rise - costing people £28.7 million last year, according to figures from Action Fraud - with people in their 80s most likely to be targeted. 

During the first two weeks in May this year, the City of London Police’s Lead Force Operations Room recorded more than 100 referrals for courier fraud – and 85% of victims were between 60 and 90 years old. 

Spokesperson Detective Sergeant Victoria O’Keefe says: “This is a particularly nasty crime type often resulting in significant psychological harm and financial loss to victims, many of whom are living alone and suffering age-related illness.” 

How do the new courier scams work? 

You might have heard of courier scams before – they’ve been doing the rounds on Facebook Marketplace and eBay for some time.  

A buyer, for example, might claim they’re too busy to collect an item and says they’ll use a courier who’ll bring you the cash – and all you need to do is give them your bank details to pay the insurance, which can put your money or identity under threat. 

But this latest generation of courier fraud is different and more dangerous – involving requests for much larger sums of money and specifically targeting older people. If you’ve not come across it before, it’s important to learn the warning signs. 

Strategic Fraud Prevention and Behavioural Lead for UK Finance Paul Maskall explains. “An example is I’ll call you up and say I’m from the police and your local bank branch is under investigation and we’re quite concerned about the safety of your money,” he says. 

The caller might know some of the target’s details, including their address or other personal data. However, this will likely have been obtained fraudulently to increase the chances of sounding genuine. 

“So, I ask you to go down to your bank branch but don’t tell the staff anything about this because they’re under investigation. Then I’ll tell you to withdraw a sum of money and I’ll send a courier to pick it up.” 

Sadly, the courier will then have driven off with the cash and never be seen again. 

“We’ve also seen cases where people are manipulated into buying gold bullion and then giving it to a courier,” adds Maskall. 

Gold bullion-based courier fraud has been prevalent over the last year in multiple locations, costing victims millions. In these cases, those defrauded were between 75 and 91 in age. 

Recent other cases have seen victims persuaded to hand over jewellery, gold coins or their bank card with its Pin to couriers – sometimes with a password given to make it seem more legitimate. 

These valuable items are then surrendered to the courier, all under the guise of these being ‘evidence’ in an ongoing investigation and the victim told they can reclaim the money, only to find it’s all a scam. 

How to contact your bank 

Chartered Security Professional James Bore advises: “If someone calls saying they’re from your bank, ask them for a reference number and say you’ll call back.  

“And then call back using your bank’s actual number, never the one they give you. It’s extremely unlikely that a fraudster will have compromised a bank’s phone system.” 

However, in some cases the scammer might even tell the victim to contact the bank – this is because, if they’re using a landline, the scammer can just stay on the line and ‘accept’ the verification call when the intended target instantly tries to call the bank. 

Therefore, waiting for a few minutes before phoning is the smart advice – or use a mobile phone instead. 

If the official number for the bank isn’t known, calling 159 allows the potential victim to get directly through to their bank, without any worry that the number has been compromised. 

The banking protocol means bank staff have a duty to look out for customers and can raise the alarm if they think somebody could be a victim of fraud. 

“If a customer comes in to withdraw a large amount of money and staff think they’re vulnerable, they can flag it and get the police involved,” says Maskall.  

“They’re trained to spot the signs if they suspect someone is being coerced or manipulated into withdrawing money.”  

If you’re worried someone could easily be manipulated through the phone, you could get a call-blocking device fitted to the landline to ensure fraudsters (and other nuisance calls) can’t get through as easily.  

This allows the user (or a trusted friend) to set a list of approved contacts, including friends, family, the GP as well as other trusted people – blocking calls from everyone else. 

However, these aren’t foolproof, so education around the dangers that courier scams pose, and the warning signs to watch out for, are still critical. 

How can I protect my loved ones from being scammed? 

As this scam is primarily targeting older adults, if you know anyone that could be particularly vulnerable to the high-pressure tactics being used by these fraudsters, you should learn what you can do to help them. 

A good start is to make sure they’re aware of the Take Five to Stop Fraud message, which encourages people to stop and think carefully before they act.  

Stop and think 

Criminals are experts at impersonating trusted organisations and will often try and panic or rush victims into doing what they say. It’s OK to say no or just ignore their requests.  

Be particularly wary if they say they will stay on the line while offering the victim the chance to carry out checks, or if they ask for any personal or banking details. 

“Whoever they’re trying to impersonate, whether that’s the bank or police, wouldn’t be cold calling you. Do your due diligence and check you’re not being pressured – through manipulation or excitement – and just take a step back and think,” says Maskall. 

Don’t let money, card or any valuables be handed over 

Neither the bank or police would ever ask someone to give up their bank card, and they would never send a courier to pick up money or goods. 

No matter how plausible the story, if you hear of this being requested, you should alert the authorities straight away and help your friend or family member understand that giving up the cash or goods would likely mean they never see them again. 

Spot changes in behaviour 

It’s not always easy to know if someone is being targeted by courier fraud – especially as it’s difficult for some people to have open conversations about finances. 

According to Crimestoppers, those being caught by these scammers can begin acting more secretively or start taking more phone calls than usual. 

If you notice them being more withdrawn or seemingly having sudden issues with money, you could talk to them about it – or if you feel uncomfortable with this, call the Crimestoppers charity line on 0800 555 111.