Three people have been arrested after a series of delivery scams that targeted victims across Hertfordshire came to a halt in Stevenage.

A 32-year-old man from Peckham, another man of the same age from New Cross and a 31-year-old woman from Peckham have been arrested in connection with nine fraud offences. The trio have since been released under investigation while police enquiries continue.

The fraud involved victims across the county receiving packages that were addressed to them, but containing items they had not ordered. A short while after delivery a courier would come to collect the packages, which often contained iPhones or laptops from AO, claiming they had been delivered to the wrong address.

The arrests followed a Stevenage resident who had collected two packages, and had received a call from a fraudster explaining there had been a mistake and he would come to the address to collect the package.

The victim had previously seen a message about the scam on Herts police’s Online Watch System (OWL), and called the police. Police attended the scene and arrested one man, then two arrests followed after a vehicle linked to the offences was stopped by police in Kent.

Herts police have issued the following advice to prevent similar crime:

Where possible, don’t accept or sign for parcels you haven’t ordered.

If a parcel you have received is not something you have ordered, you should not hand the parcel over to someone calling at your door unless you have made a prior arrangement for its collection and you are able to check the identity of the caller.

If you realise a parcel you have received is something you have not ordered, you should immediately contact the company to arrange for its collection.

Remember to ask how to ensure the identity of the person collecting it.

If you have already handed over a package in the circumstances described contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.

You can sign up to receive OWL alert messages direct to your email at owl.co.uk.