Whatever next - now drivers are expected to advise customers about scammers defrauding people over the phone
And not sure why it's taxi drivers and pharmacists in particular who are considered best placed to offer advice
(And not just OAPs either - that's just my shorthand for the thread title.)
Pharmacists and taxi drivers help police crack down on fraud in Cumbria
https://www.itv.com/news/border/2026-06 ... in-cumbria
Cumbria Police officers have enlisted the help of pharmacists, taxi drivers and businesses to help them warn the public about fraudsters targeting victims by phone.
The force is cracking down on criminals who use landlines to con people out of cash, a practice it describes as "heartless, cold and ruthless".
PCSOs have been going to taxi ranks to distribute literature to the drivers, helping them engage their customers in conversation about the issue, while chemists have helped raise awareness by placing fraud alert cards on their counters.
In a crime known as courier fraud people, often vulnerable or elderly, are targeted by criminals who pretend to be officials.
They may know a little bit of information about the victim, such as their name, date of birth or bank.
Using this information, the fraudsters then ask further questions to build up their knowledge about the victim, and then make requests for money to be transferred electronically or withdrawn in cash.
Cumbria Police says these fraudsters create a sense of panic to force the victim into acting quickly and instinctively, without thinking logically.
Last year in Cumbria, victims lost over £1,300 to this type of fraud.
Cumbria Police says, however, that the effect of this type of crime can be more than just financial - with victims often subsequently losing trust in anyone who may try to contact them.
As such, the constabulary has enlisted the help of people who might regularly deal with older people to raise awareness of the crime, such as pharmacists and taxi drivers.
Fran Henderson, a Cumbria Police specialist in preventing fraud, said: "The fraudsters who carry out these offences are heartless, cold, and ruthless.
"They target some of the most vulnerable in our society. They are also very friendly, persuasive, and persistent. They sound completely believable.
"Their interactions are carefully scripted to ensure that the victim is convinced they are either a senior police officer or a member of an internal investigation team within their bank.
"Under the guise of assisting police or the bank with an investigation, victims are often persuaded to purchase jewellery or gold bullion and hand over these high value goods to someone on their doorstep.
"We need your help to speak to older friends and relatives to explain that they should be cautious when dealing with strangers on the phone, even if they do claim to have an official job title."
To further hammer home the message, PCSOs will engage with doctors' surgeries, opticians, jewellers, bureaux de change outlets and gold merchants to help them spot the signs, give warnings and alert police.
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: "These criminals target the most vulnerable in our communities so it’s really important that we look out for one another.
"If you have a gut feeling that something is suspicious or wrong, it usually is, so please hang up on the person you are speaking to and report it to the police or call the organisation the caller says they are from, such as your bank, to confirm their identity – it’s better to be safe than sorry."
