Warning After Fraudsters Target Kibworth Beauchamp Resident

Police are warning people in the Harborough area not to be caught out by fraudsters pretending to be from their bank.

An elderly resident in Kibworth Beauchamp was targeted by callers claiming there’d been suspicious activity on their account and asking them to withdraw cash for collection from their home.

Thankfully, no money was handed over.

The incident is one of seven reports of courier fraud across Leicestershire and Rutland in the past month.

Courier fraud involves criminals contacting people by phone and pretending to be police officers or bank staff. They may use convincing language and information such as a person’s name and address to appear legitimate and gain their trust.

Victims may be told their bank account has been targeted by fraudsters or that counterfeit currency is being investigated. They are then persuaded to withdraw a large amount of cash for collection by a courier.

In other cases, the caller asks the victim to hand over their bank card to someone sent to their home and disclose their PIN. The card can then be used to withdraw money from their account.

Nicole McIntyre, from the Economic Crime Unit, said fraudsters often target elderly or vulnerable people and can sound genuine to gain their trust.

She reminded residents that police officers and banks will not contact people in this way.

“If you get a call like this, hang up,” she said. “If someone comes to your home claiming to be a police officer and they need to take your bank card to trace any fraudulent transactions, do not hand over your card and close the door.”

Ms McIntyre advised anyone who needs to contact their bank to wait five minutes after ending the call, as fraudsters may remain on the line, or to use a different telephone.

She added that bank cards should never be handed to other people and urged residents to warn elderly relatives and neighbours who may not see police updates online.

Telephone companies may also be able to provide call-blocking technology to help restrict unwanted calls.

Police say fraudsters sometimes use local taxi firms to transport potential victims to banks to withdraw money. Taxi drivers are being asked to be alert to anything suspicious and contact police if they have concerns.