How to avoid becoming a 'courier fraud' victim as police issue warning across Yorkshire

So-called ‘courier fraud’ involves offenders targeting elderly or vulnerable people by calling them and posing as someone in a position of authority, often a police officer.

The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Disruption Team, which covers the region's four police forces, is today (Tuesday) urging residents to be vigilant when it comes to the offence.

After calling their victims, the fraudsters then tell them that there has been a fraud on their account but that there bank is in involved, before urging them to hand over cash and sending a fake 'courier' to collect the money from their home.

Detective Constable Heather Shearer, from the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Disruption Team, has issued advice of how to avoid falling victim to so-called courier fraud, in a newly-released video.

It comes after eight people were sentenced to a total of more than 30 years at Leeds Crown Court last month, following a £200,000 national scam where the offenders posed as police officers.

Det Shearer said: “This is a despicable crime which targets vulnerable people. It can have a terrible impact on victims – they can become withdrawn and embarrassed because of it.