CoLP reports a sharp rise in courier fraud in 2025, with losses exceeding £21M across 1,891 cases (up nearly 10% year-on-year), mainly targeting victims over 70 through increasingly sophisticated scams

The crime mainly affects older people, particularly those over 70, and is most prevalent in London and the Home Counties, which account for around 65% of victims. Fraudsters typically impersonate police officers or bank officials to create fear and urgency, persuading victims to withdraw money, purchase high-value items such as jewellery or gold, or hand them over to a courier. Authorities also report increasingly sophisticated tactics, including prolonged contact via messaging apps like WhatsApp and repeated targeting of victims to maximise losses…