#ADVICE | So-called courier fraud is when a fraudster cold calls you, pretending to be from your bank, the police, or another official organisation.

⚠️ These scams are designed to try and get people to withdraw money from their account, which the fraudster will then arrange to be collected by a 'courier'.

They may provide elaborate and convincing cover stories – for instance, telling you they are conducting an investigation into corruption; that your account is at risk; or that there is an opportunity for you which may seem too good to be true (in which case it probably is).

If they manage to convince you, they instruct you to carry out a task which ultimately involves you handing over your money. This could be asking you to withdraw a large sum of money (or foreign currency) which they will arrange for a courier to collect for evidence; or asking you for details such as your PIN over the phone before a courier then collects your credit or bank cards.

To stay safe and protect yourself, remember:

❗ Your bank or the police will never call you to ask you to verify your personal details or PIN by phone or offer to pick up your card by courier. Hang up if you get a call like this.

❗ If you need to call your bank back to check, wait five minutes; fraudsters may stay on the line after you hang up. Alternatively, use a different line altogether to call your bank, or try ringing someone you know first, to check the line is clear.

❗ Your debit or credit card is yours – don’t let a stranger take it off you. You should only ever have to hand it over at your bank. If it’s cancelled, you should destroy it yourself.

❗ Your bank or the police will never send a courier to your home to collect your cash, bank cards, PINs, or any other valuable goods. Any requests to do so are part of a scam.

❗ The police will not contact you out of the blue and ask you to participate in an investigation that requires you to withdraw money from your bank, or to purchase high value goods, such as jewellery or gold.

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