ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a rising number of fraud cases involving courier services. In this scam, fraudsters impersonate bank representatives or sometimes government employees. They instruct victims to withdraw cash, package it, and wait for a rideshare courier to pick it up.
Detectives say the scammers arrange for a rideshare driver, such as an Uber, to transport the package to another location. The drivers are unaware of the package’s contents and only handle the pickup and delivery.
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In recent months, this scam has cost victims thousands of dollars.
“The bad guys, nowadays, the fraudsters, are getting very creative with what they’re doing and everything is extremely believable,” said SJSO Economic Crimes Detective Bobby Fultz.
Financial institutions and government agencies will never ask you to withdraw money over the phone and send it via courier or rideshare.
If you believe you have been targeted by this scam, the sheriff’s office encourages you to report it immediately. “Don’t be ashamed to report it to law enforcement. Speaking up can stop the same thing from happening to someone else,” Fultz said.
To report a scam, contact the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office at (904) 824-8304.