Overview

• Agents documented 103 courier-related cases in New England from 2023 through May 2025, with roughly 98% of victims over 60.
• Losses by state include Massachusetts with 59 victims and more than $18.6 million, New Hampshire with 15 victims and $4.1 million, Maine with 16 victims and $2.69 million, and Rhode Island with 13 victims and $557,348.
• Scammers typically pose as a relative in distress, a government official, or tech support, then dispatch an in-person courier to collect cash or gold from the victim.
• Fraudsters may provide a code or password to make the pickup seem legitimate, and some couriers are unwitting drivers while others are complicit.
• The FBI says recovery is rare, notes at least 1,737 similar cases nationwide totaling about $186 million, and is working with banks and precious‑metal dealers to flag risky withdrawals and purchases.