Courier fraud warning in Suffolk after £160k lost to scam artists

After the theft of £80,000 in Suffolk, police are urging the families, friends and neighbours of elderly and vulnerable people to make them aware of the dangers of courier fraud.

A victim was contacted by a fake company calling itself 'FCA,' and asked for money to be transferred online, and arranged for gold to be collected.

At least 14 incidents have been reported in the county between February and May, with around £160,000 being stolen.

Courier fraud usually happens when a scam artist pretends to be a police officer or a bank official, and convinces the victim to hand over money, valuables or bank cards.

They may send a courier to the victim's house to collect the items they have requested.

Detective Constable John Payne of Suffolk Constabulary’s Fraud Assessment Unit said:

“Courier fraud is a cruel and calculated crime - criminals will exploit a number of tactics, preying on the vulnerable, the elderly, and those that trust services such as police and banks the most.

“However, this can happen to anyone. These criminals are highly convincing and will go to great lengths to make their story sound legitimate.

“Please share this important advice with your friends, your family and your neighbours and make sure they know what to do if contacted.

“If you have any concerns about the legitimacy of the call please contact Suffolk police, ideally via another phone line or other method, to verify the details of the officer provided in the call.”

Suffolk Police insist that genuine officers and other professionals will never:

• Ask for bank details or PINs
• Request cash or bank card handovers to couriers
• Demand money transfers to other accounts
• Ask for payment of fines or fees over the phone
• Request access to your computer or passwords
• Ask you to 'assist' in an investigation by doing any of the above

They are urging anyone who thinks they have been a victim to report it to them as soon as they can.