POLICE have urged people to remain vigilant after a Barnsley pensioner became the latest to be scammed by an alleged over-the-phone ‘courier’ fraudster.
On Tuesday, March 25, police received reports that a woman received a phone call from a man claiming to be a police officer.
The woman, who is in her 80s, was told that her bank card had been used for fraudulent activity.
She was asked to withdraw money from her local bank so the serial numbers on the notes could be checked.
The woman was then asked to place the money, as well as a large quantity of money she had in her house, in her wheelie bin for a courier to pick it up.
She ended up losing approximately £11,800 due to the deception, which has since sparked a police warning to be issued to ensure no-one else falls foul of opportunistic fraudsters.
A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “The police or your bank will never call you to ask you to verify your financial details by phone.
“Hang up if you get a call like this.
“If you do get a call and need to call your bank back to check, wait five minutes.
“Find a number for the bank you know and trust, from the back of your card or a statement.
“Fraudsters have been known to stay on the line after you hang up so when you ring your bank back you are connected back to the scammers.
“Don’t let a stranger take your bank card from you.
“You should only ever have to hand it over at your bank.”
A 27-year-old man, from Derby, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of fraud and forgery but was bailed pending further enquiries.
Fraud protection officer Andy Foster, who has worked on multiple cases in Barnsley over recent years, added: “Courier fraud is a threat that devastates the lives of victims.
“These criminals specifically target older people, resulting in the loss of life-changing amounts of money.
“Most recently a resident was persuaded to hand over their bank cards, PIN numbers and mobile.
“One prevalent tactic involves convincing victims to withdraw substantial sums of money from their bank accounts and place it in envelopes or bags.
“The fraudsters then dispatch ‘police couriers’ to collect the cash from homes.
“In some instances, victims are coerced into using taxis or mini-cabs to visit jewellery stores and purchase high-value items.
“They are also directed to foreign exchange offices to electronically transfer money for alleged safe keeping.”
Courier fraud may also involve tricking someone into surrendering bank cards, PIN number and mobile phones, or other sensitive information, such as answers to security questions.
The fraudsters claim they need this information to verify the legitimacy of an account or assist with their investigation.
However, once they’re armed with these details, the criminals can gain access to your funds and can carry out unauthorised transactions.
Andy added: “The impact on the victim’s health and wellbeing can be catastrophic.
“Once trust is established, the fraudsters weave convincing narratives, falsely claiming fraudulent activity on bank accounts.
“They employ high-pressure tactics to create a sense of urgency and force victims to comply with their demands.
“Landlines are far easier to protect and my advice is to consider purchasing a call blocking device or ask your landline provider if they provide a call-blocking service.”
