{"id":6620,"date":"2026-06-24T08:51:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T08:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/elderly-people-being-targeted-by-hideous-scam-what-to-know\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T08:51:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T08:51:51","slug":"elderly-people-being-targeted-by-hideous-scam-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/elderly-people-being-targeted-by-hideous-scam-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Elderly people being targeted by hideous scam &#8211; what to know"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_ec70ad\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Figures from Report Fraud show reports of courier fraud increased nearly 10% year-on-year &#8211; the latest way crooks are trying to target people<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\"><\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37277086\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Woman getting scam call\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37277086.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_GettyImages-2148795292.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37277086.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/1_GettyImages-2148795292.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37277086.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/1_GettyImages-2148795292.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37277086.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_GettyImages-2148795292.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Those behind a spate of 'courier' frauds try to keep their victims on the phone for long periods of time\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Those behind a spate of &#8216;courier&#8217; frauds try to keep their victims on the phone for long periods of time<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Elderly people are being especially targeted by a heinous <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/scams\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">scam<\/a> known as courier fraud.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It can typically start with a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be a <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/police\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">police<\/a> officer or from the person\u2019s bank. In the former, the caller may tell them they are at risk of fraud &#8211; ironic given they are the crooks &#8211; then asking them to help catch those responsible. There have even been examples where the criminals have turned up at people\u2019s homes with fake warrant cards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Their aim is to try and suck their victim into trusting them enough that they agreed to withdraw money, make purchases or write down sensitive information. The courier element comes in when someone arrived to collect the money or item, only to never be seen again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">One example involved a person persuaded to stay on the phone while they went to London\u2019s Hatton Garden &#8211; famous for its jewellers &#8211; where they bought a Rolex watch.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37069460\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37069460\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37069460.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Pensioner-shocked-on-the-phone.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37069460.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_Pensioner-shocked-on-the-phone.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37069460.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_Pensioner-shocked-on-the-phone.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37069460.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Pensioner-shocked-on-the-phone.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account<cite aria-label=\"Image: GETTY\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: GETTY)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Figures from Report Fraud show reports of courier fraud increased nearly 10% year-on-year, rising from 1,721 in 2024 to 1,891 in 2025. Over the same period, total losses climbed from \u00a319.5million to more than \u00a321million. A key feature is the disproportionate targeting of older people, particularly those aged 70 and above.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It is just the latest in a constant wave of frauds, with crooks and scammers using every tool in the book to try to ensnare their victim. Another emerged last week when Santander raised the alarm about a Father\u2019s Day scam ahead of Sunday. In this case it included a \u201cHi Dad\u201d impersonation scam, where fraudsters targeted potential victims via <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/all-about\/whatsapp\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">WhatsApp<\/a>, text or an AI-generated phone call, pretending to be their child requesting money or to make a payment.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37309128\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37309128\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.25\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fans of Harry Styles have been among those targeted by fake ticket scams \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37309128.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Harry-Styles-and-Jules-Buckley-Orchestra-in-concert-Meltdown-Festival-Royal-Festival-Hall-London.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37309128.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_Harry-Styles-and-Jules-Buckley-Orchestra-in-concert-Meltdown-Festival-Royal-Festival-Hall-London.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37309128.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_Harry-Styles-and-Jules-Buckley-Orchestra-in-concert-Meltdown-Festival-Royal-Festival-Hall-London.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37309128.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Harry-Styles-and-Jules-Buckley-Orchestra-in-concert-Meltdown-Festival-Royal-Festival-Hall-London.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Fans of Harry Styles have been among those targeted by fake ticket scams \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Fans of Harry Styles have been among those targeted by fake ticket scams <cite aria-label=\"Image: Julian Bajsel\/Shutterstock\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Julian Bajsel\/Shutterstock)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Chris Ainsley, head of fraud risk management at Santander UK, said: \u201cAs a parent myself, I know how busy life gets &#8211; juggling kids, work and a social life \u2013 and fraudsters often target people when they know they might not have time to properly consider what they\u2019re being asked to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Big events are another source of rich pickings for fraudsters. Examples range from the World Cup to concert tickets. According to Confused.com, Brits lost more than \u00a310.8million to ticket fraud in the last year, as scammers targeted fans desperate to secure seats for concerts, festivals and major sporting events. Ticket fraud typically involves criminals advertising fake, duplicated or non-existent tickets, leaving buyers out of pocket and unable to attend the event.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">It comes as a recent report from industry body UK Finance revealed criminals stole nearly \u00a31.3billion through payment fraud in 2025, an increase of 4%. Highlighting the scale of the issue, it warned fraud continues to operate on an \u201cindustrial scale\u201d and was what it called a national security threat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Protecting yourself and others from courier fraud<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"UnorderedList_unordered-list__gzblI\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"unordered-list\">\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Your bank or the police will never ask you to transfer money to a safe account.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Your bank or the police will never send a courier to your home to collect bank cards, cash, or other valuables such as jewellery.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Contact the organisation directly using contact details you know are correct, such as those on official websites, the back of your card or by calling 159 for your bank.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Don\u2019t trust the Caller ID display on your phone &#8211; it\u2019s not proof of ID.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">You can report suspected scam calls by sending a text to 7726 with the word \u2018Call\u2019 followed by the caller\u2019s number<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">If you think you have been a victim of fraud contact Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">Protect against ticket scams<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"UnorderedList_unordered-list__gzblI\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"unordered-list\">\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Buy tickets from official sellers or reputable resale platforms.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Be wary of heavily discounted tickets or sellers creating urgency to secure a sale.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Avoid paying by bank transfer, as recovering money can be more difficult if you\u2019re scammed.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Check whether the platform offers buyer protection or refunds.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Ask for proof of purchase and verify ticket details before making payment.<\/li>\n<li class=\"LiItem_li-item__IF4xI\">Research sellers and avoid newly created social media accounts with little activity. Buy tickets from official sellers or reputable resale platforms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/money\/elderly-people-being-targeted-hideous-37339537\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Figures from Report Fraud show reports of courier fraud increased nearly 10% year-on-year &#8211; the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_GettyImages-2148795292.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6620","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6620"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6620\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6620"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6620"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}