# Older people being targeted in courier frauds, TSB warns

By Dr Rasha Kassem — 2026-05-12

Dr Rasha Kassem, senior academic and leader of the Fraud Research Group at Aston University, said: “Courier fraud is a form of fraud against individuals in which offenders use impersonation tactics, most commonly posing as banks or police officers, to persuade victims to surrender payment cards, PINs, cash or other valuables, either through the post or via collection by a courier.

“The most striking feature of the cases highlighted by TSB is not simply the financial loss involved, but the operational method.

“Unlike many forms of online fraud, courier fraud introduces a direct physical dimension: victims are persuaded to hand over valuables in person or to send them to addresses controlled by offenders.

“This combination of deception, authority impersonation and physical collection makes courier fraud particularly intrusive and psychologically harmful.

“The increase in these cases suggests a growing sophistication in social engineering tactics.

“Offenders appear increasingly willing to exploit institutional trust through the use of false police credentials, banking terminology and manufactured urgency. The targeting of older victims is also notable.

“This should not be understood as a question of naivety, but rather as the deliberate exploitation of individuals who may place greater trust in institutional authority or be more susceptible to high-pressure reassurance tactics.

“From a policy perspective, courier fraud should be viewed not solely as a banking issue but also as a safeguarding concern.

“The face-to-face element, prolonged manipulation and intrusion into victims’ homes distinguish these offences from many other forms of financial crime.

“Greater emphasis should therefore be placed on early intervention, account monitoring, inter-agency intelligence sharing and public safeguarding measures for vulnerable individuals.

“The emotional and psychological impact should not be underestimated. Victims frequently experience embarrassment, loss of confidence and reluctance to report offences, all of which benefit offenders and reduce opportunities for early disruption.

“Effective prevention will depend not only on public awareness, but also on stronger institutional detection measures and coordinated safeguarding responses.”

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