On January 29, 2026, Lancashire police amplified warnings for Lancaster residents about a sophisticated “courier fraud” scam after a man in his 80s from Nelson was conned out of approximately €10,000 (around £8,500) by callers falsely claiming to be police officers.
Lancashire Constabulary says organised crime groups are placing spoofed calls that appear to come from local police numbers to convince older people their bank accounts are at risk. In the Nelson case the victim received a call on 21 January, was told his account had been compromised and was instructed to withdraw €5,000 on 21 January and a further €5,000 on 22 January. An unknown man later attended the property on 22 January and collected the cash. Police published a warning about the incident on 25 January.
Investigators say scammers sometimes ask for foreign currency such as euros — a tactic they use in attempts to avoid bank staff scrutiny — and then arrange for a courier to collect the cash. Lancashire officers have moved from reactive investigations to proactive prevention work: neighbourhood teams are carrying out door‑knock reassurance visits in parts of Lancaster (including Bailrigg and Scotforth) to hand out advice and ‘Don’t Fall For A Scam’ booklets.
Police say they are working with Age UK Lancashire to deliver scam‑awareness sessions for older residents, and Victim Care Lancashire is available to offer confidential emotional and practical support to anyone affected by these crimes.
Residents are reminded that a genuine police officer will never phone to ask for PINs or passwords, or request that you withdraw or hand over cash to a courier. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up, wait at least two minutes (or use a different phone), then call 101 or speak to a trusted friend. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, contact your bank on its genuine number and report it to police or Action Fraud.
