POLICE locally are supporting a national campaign urging people to remain vigilant against courier fraud.
New data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) – run by the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud – reveals that 1,797 reports of courier fraud were received in the last financial year across the UK, with an average loss per victim of just over £12,000.
In this time period, Cheshire Constabulary reported the third highest total losses from courier fraud offences out of police forces across the UK.
In Cheshire, 17 incidents were reported, with collective losses amounting to £1,783,392.41.
Courier fraud is where a victim is contacted by fraudsters who pretend to be police officers or bank officials. This can be over the phone or in person. The victims are then told to withdraw or hand over cash or valuable items, to purchase EUROs or gift cards, or even provide bank cards or pin numbers. These are then collected from their home address or at another meeting place by a courier.
Detective Sergeant Christopher Jacques said: “We recognise that, as a result of courier fraud, victims in Cheshire have lost a combined total of more than £1.7 million.
“These figures are among the highest in the country but it’s important to take into account that the number of reported incidents is relatively low compared with other police forces, with 17 reports in the last financial year.
“But we are committed to tackling this type of offending, and in the past 12 months we have seen some promising results, with at least six arrests for courier fraud in Cheshire.
“A notable recent result included a man being sentenced to 33 months in prison for his involvement in several courier frauds in which he impersonated a police officer, spanning eight different areas of the UK – including Runcorn in Cheshire.
“As well as tracing those responsible for these crimes, we would urge everyone to spread awareness of these offences and remind people to be vigilant.
“Many people may think they would never be a victim of courier fraud, however this really can happen to anyone. We react very differently when under stress and these criminals are very sophisticated and use a whole host of tactics to persuade people to follow their instructions.
“Please remember that police officers and bank officials will never ask you to withdraw money, purchase goods, hand over valuable items or disclose private banking details, for any reason.
“Help us to raise awareness by sharing this with your friends and family, especially if they are vulnerable or elderly.”
Remember:
• Your bank or the police will NEVER call you to ask you to verify your personal details or PIN by phone or offer to pick up your card by courier. Hang up, wait a few minutes and call your bank on a number you know to be genuine, such as the one on the back of your card, or by calling 159.
• The police or your bank will not contact you out of the blue to participate in an investigation or send a courier to your home to collect bank cards, cash, or other valuable items. Any requests to do so are a scam – no matter how convincing it might seem.
• Don’t trust Caller ID display on your phone – it’s not proof of ID.
• You can opt out of many cold calls by registering for free with the Telephone Preference Service on 0845 070 0707.
Staying cautious and sceptical can go a long way in protecting yourself from courier fraud. Take the time to verify information, seek advice from trusted sources, and never rush into making financial decisions under pressure.
If you believe that you have been a victim of courier fraud, please contact Cheshire Police on 101, using a different phone to the one used to communicate with the fraudsters. You can also report information to us via cheshire.police.uk/tell-us.
You can report to Action Fraud via actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
Call 999 immediately in an emergency or if you suspect a fraud is currently in progress. Do not wait to report the fraud to police. The quicker police are told, the more likely officers can identify those responsible.
