Courier Fraud
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Courier fraud is on the increase and last year scammers were able to trick people into parting with over £15 million. The average amount being taken by this con was £5000 per person.
Let’s look at what courier fraud is and how to avoid it.
It can start with a phone call which appears to come from your bank or the police. The bogus caller will be very convincing when they tell you that there has been criminal activity which has affected your bank account. This has the same start as another fraud where you will be asked to transfer the money from your account to a safe account while investigations take place. Of course, once you transfer your money, you never see it again.
The courier scam takes a different route. The bogus caller confirms they have your name and address but asks you to confirm who you are by giving them your bank account details. It can then go in different directions. They may say something like, “yes, that’s correct, I just need your PIN now and that will complete the security check”. The caller may even tell you to phone the number on the back of your card to confirm what they are doing is genuine. They then keep the phoneline connection open and when you try to phone the bank you are still talking to the fraudster or their partner. For the next step the caller will say they need your card to aid in their investigation or prosecution. They say to save you a trip to the bank or police station they will send a courier to pick up your card. You are told you must not tell anyone about this otherwise it could hamper investigations and you could be charged with an offense. The fake courier comes, takes your card and off they go on a spending spree.
Sometimes you will be asked to withdraw a large sum of money for the courier to pick up with your card, account number and PIN. The caller assures you that this is necessary to catch the criminals and says you will get everything back once the case is complete.
Another way they operate is to tell you purchases must be made on your card. They can send someone to accompany you to high end shops like jewellers where you are encouraged to buy expensive items. They then take the items and your card telling you it’s for the investigation and that you will be reimbursed. Alternatively, they might say a currency exchange is under investigation and ask you to purchase foreign currency for evidence which again is picked up by the fake courier.
Remember:
Police officers and bank officials will never ever ask for your PIN
Your bank card is yours. Never let anyone take it away.
If you are told to call your bank, hang up and wait five to ten minutes before doing so. This should disconnect the scamster. Check for the dialling tone. Better still use another phone.
Do not use any phone number they give you for the purpose of verification.