The Metropolitan Police have arrested 18 people in just two months as part of a major operation to tackle courier fraud targeting elderly and vulnerable residents, including a 101-year-old victim.
More than £250,000 in cash, hundreds of bank cards and mobile phones have been seized as part of the crackdown, which has already led to a 46% drop in reported offences since it launched in February 2025.
Courier fraud typically involves criminals posing as police officers or bank officials to convince victims to hand over money, bank cards or make expensive purchases. Often, the fraudsters claim the items will be collected by a courier or sent in the post. Around 80% of victims are over the age of 65.
Using intelligence and covert tactics, Met officers, working closely with the City of London Police, carried out raids across several addresses, dismantling what they believe to be organised crime groups behind the scams. As well as making arrests, officers visited over 100 victims to offer reassurance, support and help recover stolen funds.
Detective Superintendent Kerry Wood, Head of the Met’s Economic Crime Unit, said:
“Met officers have worked extremely hard over the last few months to protect those vulnerable to this devastating crime, which can deprive vulnerable people of their livelihoods, pensions and hard-earned savings. The impact of these crimes can be long-lasting and cause significant emotional harm.
“We’ve arrested a number of individuals as part of our targeted operation, but the work doesn’t stop here and our officers will continue to pursue those who ruthlessly target our communities via sophisticated scams.
“Our message to criminals should be clear – we will investigate, arrest and put you before the courts.”
The operation also included over 90 awareness visits to banks, jewellers, and currency exchanges, as well as the distribution of 115,000 crime prevention leaflets. Educational presentations have also been delivered to people working in high-risk sectors.
Detective Chief Inspector Alexander Eristavi from the City of London Police added:
“This is a fantastic demonstration of collaborative police work and the impactful results that can be delivered when we come together.
“The results achieved over this period have positively impacted vulnerable members of the community, and we are eager to build on this success in the future.
“We would like to thank all of the teams at City of London Police who contributed to this operation as well as colleagues at the Metropolitan Police Service who we worked alongside.”
In one case, a man and woman allegedly posed as bank officials, convincing victims to hand over their cards. Officers linked them to 60 other similar reports and two people have been charged
In another, four men were charged in connection with a suspected multi-million-pound network where victims were tricked into sending their cards to London addresses. The suspects are alleged to have used the cards to buy high-end items. A further three people were charged with concealing stolen goods.
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