STAFFORDSHIRE SMART ALERT UPDATE

Alert: Courier fraud in north of County

Hello ,

Residents living in the north of the county are urged to be on their guard following a number of reports of courier fraud over the weekend.

A courier scam is when fraudsters call and trick you into handing your cards and PIN numbers to a courier on your doorstep. There are many variations of the scam, but it usually follows this method:

• A fraudster will cold call you on a landline, claiming to be from your bank or the police. They state their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment on your card or it is due to expire and needs to be replaced.
• In order to reassure you that they are genuine, they suggest that you hang up and ring the bank/police back straight away. However, they don’t disconnect the call from the landline so that when you dial the real phone number, you are actually still speaking to the fraudster.
• They then ask you to read out your PIN or type it on your phone keypad. They may ask for details of other accounts you hold with the bank or financial service provider, or ask you to verify details of your last transaction.
• Finally, they send a courier to you to collect your bank card. The fraudster will have then obtained your name, address, full bank details, card and PIN.

If you receive one of these calls end it immediately, and do not engage with anyone who calls to collect your card or pin.

Protect yourself against courier fraud:

• Your bank will never send a courier to your home
• Your bank and the police will never collect your bank card
• Your bank and the police will never ask for your PIN

Please share this advice with friends or relatives who may not have access to our updates, particularly elderly parents, grand-parents, friends and neighbours.

If you need to reply regarding this message, click on this email address: nw@staffordshire.pnn.police.uk

Regards,
Paula James
Community Engagement Officer
Community Messaging
Email: nw@staffordshire.pnn.police.uk