Courier fraud is a scam where criminals phone people, posing as trusted individuals, like bank employees or police officers. They convince the targeted person that there's a problem with their bank account or a legal issue, and that they need to cooperate to resolve it. To do this, they persuade the person to either withdraw money from their bank and hand it over to a courier, or to handover their bank card to the courier (who is usually an accomplice)

The victim believes they're helping an official investigation, but in reality, they're giving their money to criminals. Once the money is handed over, it's almost impossible to recover, and the criminals disappear.

To avoid courier fraud, remember that genuine organisations won't ask you to hand over money to strangers. If you're not sure, call your bank using a number you know to be genuine, for example, the number on the back of your bank card, and always be cautious about sharing personal and financial information over the phone. If something seems suspicious, hang up and report it to Action Fraud, or the Police if you believe that there is immediate danger.