Peterborough fraudsters get away with £23,000 after conning city residents in courier scam

Police are urging Peterborough residents to be vigilant and look out for vulnerable friends, family and neighbours after three victims were conned out of more than £23,000 collectively by a courier fraud scam.

In all three incidents the fraudster purported to be a police officer and requested a large amount of cash to assist in an ongoing investigation. The cash has then been collected by a courier from the victim’s home.

The incidents all happened earlier this month across Peterborough.

How it works

The fraudster usually contacts the victim by phone initially and explains they are an officer from a local force. Their stories may vary, but they often tell the victim they are investigating bank note fraud at a local bank and they need the victim to withdraw cash for them to collect and inspect.

Once the victim has withdrawn the cash, the fraudster – still posing as an officer – or a courier then comes to collect it from their home.

In some cases, the fraudster may ask for bank details rather than cash.

Police will never ask you to withdraw money from your account

DC Kieran Dolman said: “Remember, the police will never ask you to withdraw money from your account to aid in an investigation or for any other reason. Nor will they ever ask for your bank details.

“If you receive a phone call from someone purporting to be a police officer and you’re unsure, end the call and contact us on 101 to verify whether this was us. Try to use a different phone or wait a couple of minutes before calling, just in case the original caller is still on the line.

“Finally, never hand your bank card or cash to anyone who comes to your front door following a phone call."We would urge anyone who believes they have been a victim of such a scam to report it to us as soon as possible."

For more information on courier fraud and how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe from scams, visit Cambridgeshire Police’s website at https://www.cambs.police.uk/news/cambridgeshire/news/

Anyone with information about the courier frauds should contact police on 101.