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A woman from Alfreton, Derbyshire, has come forward to warn others about a sophisticated scam that left her bank accounts nearly emptied of around £11,000 within just four hours. Posing as members of NatWest’s fraud team and Merseyside Police, the fraudsters conducted a courier fraud operation, which included sending a person to collect her bank cards in person. Samantha Bradshaw, 38, initially believed she was cooperating with legitimate authorities and banks, not realizing she was being manipulated by criminals.
The scam began with a phone call around 4 pm on 11 October, when Samantha was told by someone claiming to represent NatWest that two men had been arrested in Merseyside for duplicating her bank card. The caller also mentioned that a police constable was on the line and wanted to speak with her. Although skeptical at first, the scammers offered a phone number which, when searched online, appeared to be that of Merseyside Police, further convincing Samantha of their authenticity. She was then informed that to prosecute the suspects, the police needed to collect evidence from her, including her bank cards. Within ten minutes of agreeing, a courier arrived at her home to collect the cards, which she handed over in an envelope after confirming a so-called “safe word.”
Despite handing over her cards early on, Samantha remained on the phone with the scammers for four hours as they rushed her through various security procedures, including password and phone ID changes, and even requested her PIN to “verify” the cards belonged to her. She believes they hurried the process deliberately to stop her from questioning anything or seeking advice from family. It was only later in the evening, when her husband called her on one of their children’s phones, that she discovered all the money in their accounts was gone, leaving them in overdraft. The scammers abruptly ended the call at this point. Samantha spoke about the emotional impact, describing the experience as “the most awful feeling in the entire world” and expressed how the anxiety and aftermath affected her daily life.
City of London Police describe courier fraud as a method where criminals convince victims to hand over money or bank cards under false pretenses, often using personal details to build trust. Detective Superintendent Oliver Little referred to these scams as “serious organised crime” and noted how scammers often already have substantial knowledge about their targets. He advised anyone suspicious to independently verify calls by contacting police on 101 or banks using official numbers like 159. Derbyshire Police, who are investigating Samantha’s case, warn that such frauds are common and emphasize that neither banks nor police would ever call to ask for PIN details, money withdrawals, or purchases on their behalf. They strongly urge people to hang up if approached with these requests
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