Three attempted reports of attempted courier fraud targeting Grantham elderly have been reported by Lincolnshire Police.

In all three attempts, no money was lost but police would urge everyone to share this information so that no one falls victim to this type of scam.

On May 12, in Grantham, an elderly female received a call on the same day from an alleged "Fraud Squad" in London claiming that someone was using her bank card that had been cloned. The female victim hung up straight away and no money was lost.

Another elderly female in the area received calls from an officer purporting to be from Grantham Police asking for a sum of £3,500. No money was lost on this occasion.

Similarly, an elderly male victim in Grantham being contacted by alleged officers from Brixton Police. The fraudsters advised the victim that they had arrested someone using his bank card and that an officer called "Smith" would be attending his address. Thankfully the male victim knew this was a scam and quickly terminated the call.

Police also report a case that day involving an elderly female from the Caistor area who received a phone call from an alleged officer claiming her credit card had been used in Poland in 2019. The victim was advised that a plain clothes officer would be sent to the address to assist in the investigation. Thankfully no money and personal details were passed on to the fraudsters

Lincolnshire Police want people to know more about the risks of courier fraud?

Courier fraud happens when criminals cold call victims purporting to be a police officer or bank official, convincing them to hand over their cash, bank cards or any other high-value items to a courier that's been sent to their home.

Fraudsters will often suggest some money has been removed from the victim's account and that the staff from their local bank are being investigated. They may also suggest that an individual known to the victim has been arrested but the "police officers" need money for evidence.

Another tactic being used by criminals is to instruct the unsuspecting victim to purchase high-value items such as jewellery or gold. If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately. It's a scam!

Police advise your bank or the police will never call you to ask you to withdraw money for them to send it to another location. They will also never ask you to verify your personal details or PIN by phone or offer to pick up your bank card by courier.

If you receive an unexpected call, hang up and use another phone to call back to confirm their identity. If you're ever in doubt, contact them directly on a different line or report the incident to us by calling 101.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately. For further crime advice, visit our Fraud and Scams page on the website or Action Fraud.