Wiltshire Police are intensifying their efforts to combat courier fraud by directly engaging with jewellery shops and taxi firms across the county.
This initiative comes after a significant increase in courier fraud cases, with victims losing a staggering £155,230 in 25 incidents last year alone.
Courier fraud involves criminals posing as trusted figures, such as police officers or bank officials, to deceive individuals into believing their bank accounts are compromised or that they need to assist with a bogus police investigation. Victims are then manipulated into withdrawing money or purchasing high-value items like jewellery or gold bullion, which they are instructed to hand over to a "courier" with false promises of reimbursement.
Between February and May 2025, the South West region witnessed 417 reported cases of courier fraud, with 44 involving the purchase or handover of gold or jewellery, resulting in total losses of £2,865,727. Gold was the most frequently requested item, followed by watches.
Recognising that taxi services are often exploited by fraudsters to transport victims to stores or to collect and deliver packages, Wiltshire Police are now actively educating taxi drivers and jewellery store staff on the tactics used by criminals.
A particularly devastating case in August 2024 saw a Salisbury couple defrauded out of £350,000 after being contacted by someone claiming to be a Metropolitan Police detective. The couple were instructed to purchase £100,000 worth of watches and subsequently gold bullion, which was collected by an individual dressed as a postman. They were promised reimbursement by the government and given methods to "verify" the caller's identity, including calling the police directly, but the fraudsters remained on the line to intercept the call.
Detective Constable Rachel Davies, Fraud Protect Officer, spoke of the severity of the crime and its impact on vulnerable individuals. "We’re seeing consistent cases of courier fraud around the county in a variety of locations and unfortunately the victims are often the elderly," she stated. "This is such a nasty crime which can have devastating psychological effects and significant financial loss.
Davies urges families, friends, and neighbours to be vigilant and protect vulnerable individuals in their lives. "Fraudsters prey on elderly people by cold calling landlines or posing as police officers and bank officials. We need to get the message out we’d never cold call or ask anyone to share bank details or move assets to aid investigations or for any other reason."
Wiltshire Police advise the public: *If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the police, hang up and call back on 101 to verify the call.
"Never share your bank details or move assets at the request of someone who contacts you unexpectedly. If you suspect you have been a victim of courier fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 1232040. If you have revealed your bank details or handed over your card to a courier, call your bank immediately to cancel the card."