DORSET Police have issued a warning to the public to be aware of courier fraud.

In a post on social media Dorset police said: "£10 million has been lost so far this year to courier fraudsters. Do you know how to spot the signs of #CourierFraud?"

Data from Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, reveals that £10,325,133 has been lost by victims to courier fraud since the start of this year – an increase of almost two thirds (63 per cent) compared to the same period last year.

According to Action Fraud: "Courier fraud is when victims receive a phone call from a criminal who is pretending to be a police officer or bank official. Typically, victims are told to withdraw a sum of money and someone is sent to their home address to collect it.

"Criminals may also convince the victim to transfer money to a ‘secure’ bank account, hand over their bank cards or give the criminals high value items, such as jewellery, watches and gold (coins or bullion)."

Fraudsters typically target older and vulnerable people, by exploiting their trust. An example of courier fraud could include a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be your bank or the police, who advises you of an issue with your card, this person may then ask for your pin and send a courier to collect your card.

Action Fraud have listed some signs of attempted courier fraud to look out for, including:

"Someone claiming to be from your bank or local police force calls you to tell you about fraudulent activity, but is asking you for personal information, or even your PIN, to verify who you are.

"They are suggesting that you call them back, so you can be sure they are genuine, but when you try to return the call, there’s no dial tone.

"They say they are trying to offer you peace of mind by having somebody pick up the card for you, to save you the trouble of having to go to your bank or local police station."

Action Fraud also advises that the public follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign to keep themselves safe from fraud.

"Stop: taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.

"Challenge: could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

"Protect: if you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040."