North Wales Police back national campaign to protect vulnerable people from courier fraud phone scam

North Wales Police back national campaign by Action Fraud  – UK’s national reporting centre for fraud – to protect elderly and vulnerable people from courier fraud phone scam.

What is courier fraud?

Fraudsters telephone a potential victim, claiming to be from their bank, the police or another law enforcement authority.

They then trick the person into revealing their PIN and agreeing to hand over their debit or credit card.

What should I look out for?

Calls where someone claims to be from your bank or the police. They may say that a fraudulent payment has been spotted on your card, or that someone has been arrested using your details and cards.

They may then ask you to ring back using the phone number on the back of your card. This is to make you believe that the call is genuine. But the fraudster keeps the line open at their end, so you are actually connected straight back to them or an accomplice.

They will ask for your PIN, or sometimes ask you to key it into your phone’s handset.

The scammer then sends a courier or taxi to pick up your card from your home. It is possible the driver does not know they are being used as part of the scam.

Once they have your card and PIN, the scammer can spend your money.

Variations to watch out for:

1. You are told there is a corrupt member of staff within your bank, a Post Office or bureau de change and the police need your help to identify them. You’re asked to withdraw a large sum of your money to be marked by the police or bank and placed back into the banking system. They say this will help them identify the corrupt person. On handing the cash over, it is taken by the fraudsters.
2. Being asked to purchase an expensive watch, or other high value item, to try and identify counterfeit goods. You will then be told to hand this item to a taxi driver for transfer to the police. The item is then passed to the fraudster.
3. You’re told that your bank account has been taken over and you need to transfer all the funds into a ‘safe account’ set up by the caller. This account is operated by the fraudsters who then steal the money.

What should I do if this happens to me, or someone I know?

If you have given the fraudster any details, you need to call your bank to cancel your cards. Either use a different phone, or wait at least ten minutes before calling, so that the fraudsters will be disconnected from the line.

Report it to Action Fraud or to the police by calling 101.

Remember:

• Your bank will never send a courier to your home
• Your bank and the police will never collect your bank card
• Your bank and the police will never ask for your PIN
• If you receive one of these calls, end it immediately

Report a fraud

Need to report a potential fraud? Call 0300 123 2040 or visit the Action Fraud website.