Avon and Somerset Police have issued a warning over the threat of fraudsters posing as couriers.

The warning comes after 60 people fell victim to the scams across Avon and Somerset last year, suffering losses of £278,936 between them.

National Fraud Intelligence Bureau data shows people aged 70 and older are the primary targets of courier fraud, and had more than £12 million stolen from them in 2022.

Fraud protect officer Amy Horrobin said: “The most consistent tactic is the fraudster claiming to be from a reputable organisation, whether it be your bank, HMRC or the police. They will try to convince their victims it is real and put pressure on them to create a sense of urgency.

“The best thing to do is to remember Take Five, Tell Two – that is to take five minutes to consider if you might be being scammed and tell two other people who may be able to spot red flags you can’t in a pressurised situation.

“We can 100 per cent guarantee though that the police or your bank will never ask you to withdraw cash or buy jewellery as part of any enquiries. You will also never be asked to lie to your bank. No matter how insistent or convincing the fraudster is, if you are told to do that we can guarantee it is a scam and you should hang up immediately and report it to Action Fraud.

“The amount of money lost to this scam is eye-watering and we know the true figure is likely to be much higher as many victims are reluctant to report it because they feel embarrassed or want to hide the fact they were deceived from loved ones. But nobody should feel shame, these are professional fraudsters who prey on people trying to help and that makes it even more despicable.”

Avon and Somerset's Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Shelford, said the fresh fraud data was 'shocking.' He encouraged residents to speak to friends and family about the risk of fraud, saying: "The shocking new data reveals fraudsters tend to target elderly residents so I want to encourage family members supporting older loved ones to be vigilant, especially for incoming phone calls, couriers arriving by motorbike or taxis and visitors who unexpectedly arrive.

"By having conversations with family and friends about the signs and risks, it could prevent them from being a victim of fraud. To everyone, remember banks or police officers will never send a courier to pick up cash, bank cards or pin codes from individuals. Anyone who thinks they are being targeted, please report to Action Fraud and to your bank.”

One woman who fell victim to courier scammers is Sylvia, who is in her 80s and lives in Taunton. Sylvia was defrauded after receiving a call from a scammer posing as a detective.

The fraudster convinced Sylvia to withdraw £4000 in cash from her bank. She was instructed to lie to the cashier about the nature of the withdrawal.

After Sylvia returned home with the money the fraudster arranged for an accomplice, posing as a courier, to collect the cash. Within 20 minutes a 'courier' arrived and exchanged a bag of money for a worthless receipt. The scammers also made off with a further £4000 from Sylvia's pension account, stealing £8000 in all.

Sylvia said: “I have had many scam calls before and picked up on it right away, but this one was so convincing that I think people need to be on their guard.

“When they say they are the police you believe them don’t you?

“When I look back on it now, I should have gone directly to the bank or police to check. If I’d been able to stop to think, I would have done that, but they don’t give you the time to do that. It’s scary how convincing they are.”

Fraud protect officer Amy Horrobin said: “Sylvia has been left feeling rather shaken, frustrated with herself and not knowing who she can trust. She has received support from officers and advice from fraud protect officers, because often victims are vulnerable to being targeted again by fraudsters.”

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.