Help raise awareness about Courier Fraud
Courier fraud is where fraudsters pretend to be police officers to scam members of the public out of large amounts of money. Norfolk Constabulary is currently dealing with a number of courier fraud incidents for example a 65-year-old, who wishes to remain anonymous, has shared her experience in a bid to warn others and raise awareness of the sophisticated scam.
Fraudsters adopt a range of techniques. For example, they may make the victim believe that their local bank is using counterfeit money. They ask the victim to withdraw cash and hand it over to an officer or courier for examination. Typically, these fraudsters target older people because they are more likely to be in credit and secondly because they may have a large retirement fund/pension. They also trust the police.
To tackle the issue, Norfolk Constabulary has been working with banks around Norfolk. They have also alerted local taxi firms, which are often used to transport victims to the bank to withdraw the cash. This has prevented a number of scams after suspicions were raised and arrests were made as a result.
Please call Norfolk Police on 101 if you believe someone has been the victim of courier fraud. Always call 999 if an emergency.
Remember:
- Your bank or the police will NEVER ask for your PIN, bank card or bank account details over the phone – never give these details to anybody.
- The police and the banks will never send a courier to collect money from you.
- Always request photo ID. If unsure, call the police.
- If you're asked to telephone a bank, then always do it on a different phone to the one you were contacted on.
- Fraudsters will keep the line open and have been known to play ringtones, hold music and a recorded message down the phone so the victim believes they are making a call to a legitimate number. Ensure you can hear a dialling tone before calling the police or use a friend or neighbour's telephone instead.
- Do not rush into agreeing with the scammer’s demands / requests.
- If you have already given your bank details over the phone or handed your card details to a courier, call you bank straight away to cancel the card.
Please tell your family and friends, particularly older relatives, to ensure they are aware of these scams and the warning signs.
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