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Dozens of bank cards go missing on a single street as Royal Mail under fire - DAILY EXPRESS
One resident said she had £1,000 withdrawn from her bank account and another set up in her name, without her knowledge.
By CALLY BROOKS
An investigation has been launched after dozens of bank cards went missing from a single street - with victims finding money had disappearing from their accounts.
30 residents on a road in Crystal Palace, London, said their credit and debit cards they had ordered failed to arrive after being dispatched.
These cards included PIN numbers and contactless cards sent by post. According to reports, there are six victims who were defrauded as a result.
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One victim claimed criminals spent £1,000 on her debit card and managed to apply for another using her personal details, leaving her fearing she was also a victim of identity theft.
Residents said they received confirmation that the cards had been dispatched by their banks.
The victims, who withheld their street name, discovered the problem on a community WhatsApp group.
A Royal Mail postal worker told The Telegraph that they had been offered thousands of pounds to intercept bank cards on his route, specifically letters containing sensitive financial information.
The worker, who works in a town in Leicestershire, was offered a cut of £30,000 - the amount the gang would typically make from withdrawing cash and buying goods with stolen cards.
In the first six months of 2023, thieves reportedly stole more than £1.4million by intercepting posted bank cards, according to data from trade association UK Finance shows.
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Royal Mail said it has launched an investigation into the allegations of fraud and theft.
A spokesman said: "The safety and security of mail is of the utmost importance and we take any reports of criminal activity very seriously. We are aware of the complaints [in Crystal Palace] and have an investigation ongoing. This includes engagement with the police."
A Metropolitan Police statement said: "Police were contacted after a number of residents in the same street in Crystal Palace and Anerley reported that bank cards they had ordered had not arrived.
"It was unclear whether the cards had gone missing due to a distribution error. The residents had contacted Royal Mail and their banks. They were also advised to contact Action Fraud. The crime report has been closed pending anything further coming to light."
