- Date
- 20 March 2025
- Details
-
A request to taxi drivers for assistance to combat fraud that targets elderly and vulnerable victims
Dear Driver
In recent months, several incidents of fraud have occurred within Cheshire, targeting elderly and vulnerable members of our community. We urgently seek your assistance in combating this fraudulent activity.
Method of Operation: Contact: Elderly and vulnerable victims receive a telephone call on their landline from a person pretending to be a police officer or an authority figure. This person informs the victim of fraudulent activity on their bank account, claiming that corrupt bank staff and police officers are involved.
Instructions: The victim is directed to attend their local bank to withdraw a large amount of cash or to purchase high-value items such as jewellery or foreign currency. The victim is instructed to return home, where these items will be collected by a so-called "police courier" for examination.
Use of Taxis: The victims often use local taxis for their journeys to and from the bank or post office.
Courier Activity: The criminal, posing as a courier, then attends the victim's address and collects the cash/valuables.
Enquiries have established: Several of these couriers travel Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester by trains originating from London. Upon arrival at local train stations, they hire the first available taxi from the rank. The courier directs the taxi to the victim’s address and instructs the driver to wait while they collect the package. The courier returns to the taxi after a few minutes, usually carrying a package, and heads back to the train station to board the next train to London. Occasionally, they meet victims in car parks of retail parks.
Request for Action: Vigilance: Drivers are asked to be vigilant of journeys to and from local train stations by potential couriers.
Reporting: If a suspected courier is collected as a passenger, taxi drivers are requested to call the Police on '999', providing their taxi VRM, location, and destination. The relevant Force control room will recognise this as courier fraud and deploy appropriate resources.
Awareness: Taxi drivers are also asked to raise awareness among their elderly passengers and to be mindful of unusual repeat fares to local banks or locations. If such fares are identified, drivers are requested to contact the Police.
Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.
Greater Manchester Police, Nexus House, Alexandria Drive, Ashton-Under-Lyne, OL7 0QP