A pensioner in Macclesfield narrowly escaped financial ruin after handing over bank cards to a fraudster posing as a Greater Manchester Police officer. The conman told the woman her cards were needed as part of a fraud investigation, claiming bank staff were suspected of involvement.
An accomplice, acting as a courier, was sent to her home to collect the cards. She handed over two debit cards and a credit card but later suspected she had been scammed and alerted police. Fortunately, the bank was able to cancel the cards before the criminals could use them.
Five attempted frauds in eight days
The case was one of five attempted courier frauds in eight days this month in Cheshire, all targeting elderly victims. Fraudsters posed as police officers from Coventry in the West Midlands and GMP, as well as officials from banks including Lloyds and NatWest. All are believed to be from the same organised crime group.
The scammers contacted victims by phone, claiming they needed cards or money as part of a fraud investigation or to prevent them from becoming victims of fraud. The five cases included two in Macclesfield, and others in Poynton, Warrington, and Malpas. In only one case were cards handed over.
National rise in courier fraud
New figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, run by the City of London Police, show reports nationally increased by nearly 10 per cent year-on-year, rising from 1,721 in 2024 to 1,891 in 2025. Over the same period, total losses climbed from £19.5 million to more than £21 million, with the average amount stolen per victim now standing at £15,311.08.
Victims are told their account is at risk or that they are assisting with an investigation, before being instructed to withdraw money, purchase items, or disclose sensitive information. A courier is then sent to collect items such as jewellery, cash, bank cards and PINs. In reality, anything handed over is lost.
Police warning and prevention advice
Detective Inspector Paul Nolan of Cheshire Constabulary's Force Intelligence Bureau said: "I would urge anyone who has elderly relatives or neighbours to warn them not to be taken in by this scam. Genuine police officers will never ask you to hand over any money or banking cards and will always be happy to prove their identities should you have any concerns about who they are."
In 2025, there were 21 reports to Report Fraud from Cheshire and financial losses were £154,065.15. Previously, between April 2024 and March 2025, there were 17 cases in the county with £1.7m being stolen.
People in their 70s and 80s are most likely to be targeted, with this age range accounting for 43 per cent of all victims, data from Action Fraud shows. Cheshire police say they are determined to tackle the crime, which has become more sophisticated as bank security has tightened. Previously, scammers would take an elderly victim to a bank to withdraw large cash amounts, but banks adopted a protocol where police were called if an elderly customer attempted such a withdrawal. Criminals then switched to using couriers.
A notable recent result for Cheshire police included a man being sentenced to 33 months in prison for involvement in several courier frauds in which he impersonated a police officer, spanning eight different areas of the UK – including Runcorn in Cheshire.
A Cheshire police officer said: "Many people may think they would never be a victim of courier fraud, however this really can happen to anyone. We react very differently when under stress and these criminals are very sophisticated and use a whole host of tactics to persuade people to follow their instructions."
Detective Supt Ollie Little from City of London Police said: "Courier fraud is a cruel and calculated crime that targets trust, often focusing on older and or vulnerable people. Offenders are becoming more organised and persistent, sometimes maintaining contact with victims for days or weeks to maximise what they can steal."
"Criminals are also evolving their tactics, increasingly using messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and courier services to facilitate collections. These changes are making fraud harder to detect and emphasise the need for greater public awareness, particularly among those most at risk and their families. It’s vital that people know the warning signs and feel empowered to stop, question and verify before taking any action."
London remains the primary hotspot for courier fraud, with the capital and surrounding regions accounting for around 65 per cent of all victims. The top five force areas for courier fraud are: Metropolitan Police Service with 488 reports in 2025; Thames Valley, 121; Essex Police, 94; Kent, 86; and Surrey, 84. The top five forces by financial losses were: Met, £8.02m; Nottinghamshire Police, £1.55m; Sussex Police, £1.3m; Cambridgeshire Constabulary, £1.15m and Warwickshire Police, £1.1m.
To protect yourself, remember: your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account, nor send a courier to collect bank cards, cash, or valuables. Contact the organisation directly using known details, don’t trust Caller ID, and report suspicious calls by texting 7726 with the word ‘Call’ followed by the caller’s number. If you believe you have been a victim, contact Cheshire Police on 101 using a different phone, report to Action Fraud via actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040, and call 999 immediately if you suspect a fraud is in progress.
