Met Police seize £250,000 in courier fraud crackdown
They've been investigating fraudsters who target vulnerable people across the Capital
Last updated 29th May 2025
Met Police officer's have seized over £250,000 and arrested 18 people, in a courier fraud crackdown across London.
Since their operation began in February, reported offences of the fraud - where scammers trick their victims into withdrawing cash or handing over bank cards - have dropped by nearly half (46%).
Detectives said the fraud often targets vulnerable members of the community, such as the elderly, with the oldest affected victim in the investigation aged 101.
80% of victims of courier fraud are over the age of 65.
The operation, which also involved City of London Police, saw officers conduct warrants across the capital and use covert tactics and intelligence to dismantle suspected organised crime networks.
Detective Superintendent Kerry Wood, head of the Metropolitan Police's economic crime unit, said: "Met officers have worked extremely hard over the last few months to protect those vulnerable to this devastating crime, which can deprive vulnerable people of their livelihoods, pensions and hard-earned savings.
"The impact of these crimes can be long-lasting and cause significant emotional harm.
"We've arrested a number of individuals as part of our targeted operation, but the work doesn't stop here and our officers will continue to pursue those who ruthlessly target our communities via sophisticated scams.
"Our message to criminals should be clear - we will investigate, arrest and put you before the courts."
Police said officers are working alongside banks, businesses and community groups to raise awareness, and have visited more than 100 victims to help recover their stolen money.