Current timestamp: 03/02/2023 04:52:59
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal ActivityLoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitterTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Quickly exit this site by pressing the Escape key Leave this site

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Show me the site

city-header-logo-white ( 1)

Search this website

Main navigation menu

  • Report

    Back to Report

    • Crime
    • Road traffic incident
    • Report antisocial behaviour
    • Missing person
    • Fraud
    • Civil disputes
    • Lost or found property
    • Lost or stolen vehicles
  • Tell us about

    Back to Tell us about

    • Tell us about possible terrorist activity
    • How to tell us about something you've seen or heard
    • A procession or event you are planning
    • Abnormal vehicle load
  • Apply or register

    Back to Apply or register

    • Careers
    • Charity collection licences
    • Compensation for victims of crime
    • Firearm, shotgun or explosives certificate
    • Attend a misconduct hearing
  • Request

    Back to Request

    • A collision report
    • Intellectual property (IP) licence
    • Request your fingerprints
    • Information: about the police, about yourself or someone else
  • Thanks and complaints

    Back to Thanks and complaints

    • Complaints
    • Say thanks
    • Feedback about the website
  • Your area

Breadcrumb

  1. ...
  2. News

Fraudsters who prey on the elderly targeted by police operation

Main article content

Navigation

Fraud

09:58 05/02/2020

Police forces across the country have been cracking down on criminals who commit courier fraud, with a combination of awareness raising and enforcement activity co-ordinated by the City of London Police.

This is the first phase of activity as part of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) led operation to combat fraud, Operation Otello.  City of London Police has co-ordinated the courier fraud activity, Operation Radium, across all 43 police forces in England and Wales, and with colleagues from nine police forces, 44 arrests have been made since November 2019. 

The culmination of the campaign was three weeks’ worth of operational activity across London, with 24 people arrested and 18 premises searched.  These were joint operations between the City of London Police and Kent Police, West Mercia Police, Hertfordshire Police, Dorset Police and the DCPCU (Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit).

Courier fraud is where fraudsters call someone, pretending to be a police officer or bank official, warning that there are corrupt bank staff, intent on stealing their money, and ask for their help.  Typically, the caller then tells the victim to withdraw a sum of money and a courier is sent to collect it.

Commander Karen Baxter, City of London Police, National Co-ordinator for Economic Crime, said:

“This is a despicable crime in which fraudsters specifically target older people, by exploiting their trust in the police and their bank, to bleed them dry.  Courier fraudsters are nearly always part of broader criminal gangs: they are persuasive and can be aggressive. This can be particularly intimidating when they turn up on a victim’s doorstep. 

“In the past two years, there have been reports of over 3,000 victims of courier fraud and those numbers include a sharp rise in the last three months.  We know that victims lost over £12 million in this period, but we also know that it’s a grossly under-reported crime.  That’s why we have focused on tackling this contemptible crime with a drive on awareness raising and increased enforcement.

“Together with colleagues in other forces, we’re sending a loud, clear message from policing to courier fraudsters: your criminal activity won’t be tolerated.  We will disrupt your activity, prevent you targeting victims, bring you before the courts and ultimately send you to prison.”

The campaign against courier fraud has seen a total of 44 arrests for courier fraud since November 2019, with activity being stepped up in the last three weeks of January, contributing 24 arrests to the overall number.

Other operational successes as a result of the focus on courier fraud include:

  • Fourteen people charged with fraud offences, two of whom have already pleaded guilty.
  • Eighteen searches revealed substantial sums of cash, jewellery and high value designer goods, notably luxury luggage.
  • Phone scripts found to help fraudsters target victims.
  • One seizure, of £5,000, has been directly linked to a victim and will be returned.
  • 32 bank cards seized which equate to £100,000 fraud.
  • Four fraudulent passports seized.
  • One offender returned to prison after absconding from in April 2019, where he was already serving time for courier fraud.

Courier fraud was selected to be the first of the operations under Operation Otello because of the impact on predominantly vulnerable victims:

  • Over the past two years there have been 3,188 victims of courier fraud; numbers have risen sharply in the last six months.
  • This equates to losses of over £12m.
  • Victims are most likely to be women aged over 80.
  • In October 2019 one loss through courier fraud was £975,445, reported in Dorset. Other large losses have been £400,000 to a 74 year old victim and £190,000 to an 80 year old victim (both reported in November 2019).

Operation Otello is the NECC's new law enforcement campaign, which also involves the Serious Fraud Office, Financial Conduct Authority, Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs and the Crown Prosecution Service. 

Share

Is there a problem with this page?

Footer navigation

We use cookies on this site to give you a better, more personalised experience.

I'm fine with cookies I'd like to manage the cookies

City of London Police

  • Contact us
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Become a police constable
  • News
  • Find a police station
  • Campaigns
  • Privacy Notice
  • Terms and conditions

Information and services

  • Advice and information
  • Crime prevention advice
  • Stats and data
  • Accessing information
  • Report
  • Tell us about
  • Apply or register
  • Request
  • Thanks and complaints

Partners

  • Police.uk
  • Ask the Police
  • City of London Corporation

Follow us on:

© Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.