Hilliard residents are the target of a fraud that uses couriers to take money straight from victims, local law enforcement warns. The community is being warned by the Hilliard Division of Police to be cautious of these fraudulent schemes, when scammers pretend to be government or financial officials and demand money for “safekeeping” or for alleged security problems with technology or bank accounts. The con artists, who frequently target elderly people, have been known to persuade their victims to give up substantial sums of money.
A Hilliard police official stated, “Any legitimate organization will never ask you to give cash to someone at your door,” underscoring the blatant tactics these thieves employ. They might also advise victims to make an ATM deposit, which Detective Brandon Long cautions should never be done, according to a warning posted on the City of Hilliard’s website. According to Long, almost 50% of the cases his agency is currently looking into involve fraud and theft, frequently with a courier dispatched to pick up the money.
In one documented instance, a fraudster claiming to be a bank representative called a resident of Hilliard to notify them of fraudulent activity on their account, only to defraud them out of forty thousand dollars. According to the Hilliard police report posted on the City of Hilliard’s website, “the resident received a phone call a short time later from a woman claiming to be a bank teller encouraging him to withdraw the cash and ‘keep it safe’ by giving it to a courier who arrived later in the evening.”
Another instance featured a concerted fraud in which many callers posing as bank and tech representatives persuaded a resident to disregard real bank staff members attempting to step in. After receiving coaching, the resident took out $20,000 and gave it to a courier. According to Detective Long’s statement on the City of Hilliard website, “If you’re unsure if you’re being scammed, please talk to a trusted family member, friend, or give us a call,” he advised citizens, emphasizing the value of verification in such questionable circumstances.
The Hilliard Division of Police is warning citizens to be on the lookout for fraudsters and to obtain help if they think they may be a target. Locals should be wary of such demands and keep in mind that respectable businesses won’t send couriers to pick up cash. The department emphasizes the importance of public knowledge and vigilance while actively working to safeguard the community and stop these crimes.
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