As with most industries, the courier services market is blighted by scams. There are often stories in the news about couriers who have transported illegal goods, such as street drugs or firearms. Sometimes the couriers involved have been paid directly to transport the prohibited items, and others have taken money to turn a blind eye. This usually equates to not checking inside a parcel or asking questions about the contents.
Unfortunately, other couriers have unknowingly transported illegal items and found themselves and their courier businesses in serious trouble. This is why you should always get your clients to fill in the necessary paperwork regarding their consignment, and you should ask to see inside the package if you suspect you are being used to transport illegal goods. Due to the diligence of customs officials, European couriers and international couriers have to be particularly vigilant about checking the goods they carry.
If you are familiar with online business forums, you have probably seen people asking whether they should pay larger courier companies for work. This is a common scam that the more internet-savvy couriers amongst you will have seen many times. You should never pay a courier company for work. They will make bold claims about the amount of work you will get from their company, and many even say you will earn thousands of pounds a week for minor jobs.
Once you read the small print hidden on such sites, you will notice that they ask for around £50 before they even begin the process of finding you courier jobs. You will get no real return from these schemes. The only tangible thing you may receive is a badly compiled courier handbook, supposedly containing information and tips about courier work. There are never any jobs at the end of this process.
Remember, use trusted online marketplaces like DeliveryQuoteCompare.com to find courier work. If you see a job offer that really does look too good to be true, you can be certain it is.