Warning after elderly tricked into handing over cash to couriers in Northamptonshire 'undercover' cop scam

The latest incidents occurred mostly in the north of the county after elderly people in Corby, Rushden, Oundle and Wellingborough were contacted by fraudsters claiming to be police officers from the Met and Scotland Yard.

A fake cop told the residents their bank accounts had been compromised and in some of the incidents, the victims were asked to assist in an ‘undercover operation’ and withdraw money from their bank accounts.

The victims were then asked to attend a money exchange to convert the currency to Euros and put the money into an envelope, which would then be collected by a courier. Bank cards and PIN numbers were also handed over.

Detective Sergeant Jason Gregory of the Economic Crime Unit said: “These types of fraud offences are particularly devastating and traumatic, both emotionally and financially, with the criminals often preying on vulnerable victims.

“The criminals will utilise clever coercive and manipulative tactics to gain the victims trust, which often involves making them feel panicked and rushed into taking actions they would not ordinarily do.

“We would urge everyone who is involved in a caring or supportive role for elderly loved ones or friends, to start conversations about the tactics used and warning signs to look out for.

“Just having that conversation, especially if their loved one is not particularly tech savvy, could be the difference in whether someone becomes a victim of this trust-eroding crime.

“Under no circumstances would the police or banks ask you to withdraw money from your account, or transfer funds into another account for fraud reasons, nor would they ever ask you to become part of an undercover investigation.

“Our advice is that if you receive any call where you are asked to provide personal or financial information, is to take a few moments to reflect on the situation and stay calm. Never assume a phone call is genuine, even if the caller knows basic details about you, such as your name and address.

“You should also know that criminals can make any telephone number appear on your phone handset, so even if the number shown seems authentic, never trust this.

“If you receive a phone call of this type, have the confidence to end it. A genuine organisation will never mind you taking the time to think things over or to contact them back on a number you have verified, for example from your bank statement or payment card.

“If the caller is claiming to be a police officer, the relevant force can be contacted on 101 and will be able to verify if a caller is a genuine officer or member of staff.”

In addition to warning residents, officers from the Economic Crime Unit would also like to hear from anyone who may have recently been approached in a similar manner and have not yet reported it to police.

Signs of courier fraud are:

• Courier fraud usually starts with an unsolicited telephone call to the victim

• Typically, the suspect will pose as a bank official, police officer or a computer or utility engineer

• Courier fraudsters will usually request the victim purchases high value items such as Rolex watches and gold bullion, withdraws cash or provides a bank card for collection from a courier

• Fraudsters will instruct victims not to tell any family or friends about what they are doing

• When carrying out courier fraud, criminals will request the victim hangs up the phone to ring their bank for confirmation while keeping the line open. The suspect then purports to be a bank official and provides false confirmation

• Fraudsters will also plan for a courier to meet the victim to collect the item they have purchased.

Report fraud online at www.reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.