LINDEN

A caller from the police or your bank wants to send a courier.

Courier fraud starts with a call from fake police or bank staff and ends with someone collecting your cash or cards, and this post explains what to do.

Source: This post is based on the alert Police issue warning in light of recent courier fraud reports, published by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on October 27, 2026.

The phone rings. The caller says they are from the police, your bank or a government agency, and that there is suspicious activity on your account. To sort it out, they say, someone will come to collect your bank card, cash or details. This is courier fraud. Hang up, call your bank on the number printed on your card, and never hand anything to a courier.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned about these calls on October 27, 2026, after recent reports, and police in England and the FBI in the United States have issued similar warnings. Once you know that real police and banks never collect money at the door, it becomes much easier to see through.

What the scam looks like

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) says courier fraud is usually a call from a criminal claiming to be from your bank, the police or another trusted company. The caller may use technology to make the call look as if it comes from a genuine number, and can sound very believable.

According to Detective Inspector Peter MacCionáoith of the PSNI, these callers may claim there is suspicious activity on your bank account to create urgency and panic. They may ask for your PIN or passwords, ask for your bank card or cash as “evidence”, ask you to buy high-end goods, or send “couriers” to collect your card, cash or bank details.

The same doorstep pickup appears in grandparent bail scams and in crypto investment scams that send a courier for cash.

Who it targets

The PSNI says anyone can be targeted. In England, City of London Police say people aged 70 and above make up the majority of courier fraud victims.

Families, friends and neighbours can make a real difference by talking about it.

Warning signs

  • An unexpected call from someone saying they are from the police, your bank or a government agency.
  • A claim of suspicious activity on your account, or that you are helping an investigation.
  • A request for your PIN, passwords or bank details.
  • Being told to withdraw cash, buy expensive goods, or hand over your bank card as “evidence”.
  • An offer to send a courier to your home to collect it.
  • Pressure, fear or urgency to act before you can think.
  • A familiar number on the screen. The PSNI says caller ID can be spoofed.

How to protect yourself

  • Know what real organisations do. The PSNI says the police, government agencies, banks and trusted companies will never ask you to transfer money, withdraw cash, or disclose your bank details, PIN or passwords.
  • Hang up and check. The PSNI advises ending the call and checking independently with the organisation, using a number you have found yourself.
  • Use another line. Because criminals can sometimes stay on the line, the PSNI says to use a different phone, or wait at least 10 minutes, before calling to check.
  • Do not share personal or financial information, and do not transfer money or withdraw cash because of a call.
  • Talk it over. The PSNI says talking to a family member, friend or your bank can help before you make any decision.

A simple family plan

  • Have the conversation. Let older relatives know that police and banks never collect cards or cash from the door.
  • Agree a call-me-first rule for any request involving cards, PINs, withdrawals or buying gold.
  • Keep trusted numbers by the phone, including the bank’s number from the back of the card.
  • Look out for neighbours who live alone and may not have heard about this scam.

Scams don’t stop at borders

This alert comes from Northern Ireland, and the warnings below come from the United States and England, but callers posing as police or bank staff who send someone to the door turn up in many countries, including Canada. Wherever you live, it is worth staying informed and taking a calm pause before handing over money, cards or valuables to anyone who called you out of the blue.

The same pattern elsewhere

In the United States, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) warned about scammers impersonating law enforcement and government officials on September 17, 2026. It said these scammers demand payment in several ways, including couriers, and that law enforcement and government officials will never request payment via prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, or courier. In an earlier alert, Scammers Use Couriers to Retrieve Cash and Precious Metals from January 29, 2024, the FBI described scammers posing as tech support or government officials who tell people to turn their savings into cash or gold and then send couriers to collect it.

In England, Cheshire Constabulary urged residents to remain vigilant following courier fraud incidents on September 22, 2026. It reported five incidents in which elderly residents were targeted by fraudsters posing as police officers and bank staff, and in one case in Macclesfield an elderly woman handed three bank cards to a courier. City of London Police issued a renewed courier fraud warning on June 15, 2026, saying courier fraud reports rose from 1,721 in 2024 to 1,891 in 2025, and that losses in 2025 were more than £21 million.

What to do if you’ve been affected

If you have handed over cards, cash or details, please do not feel ashamed. These callers are very convincing. Act quickly and calmly:

  • US: file a complaint with the FBI’s IC3 and report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you are 60 or older and need help filing with IC3, call the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline on 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
  • UK: call 159 to reach your bank (Stop Scams UK) and report to Report Fraud or on 0300 123 2040.
  • Canada: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
  • Contact your bank on the number printed on your card or statement to cancel cards, not a number the caller gave you.

How Linden helps

Linden is being built so older adults and their families can talk a money decision through with someone they trust. A worrying call is easier to see through when there is someone to check with before any cash or cards leave the house.

Sources

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