Action demanded as online fraud up a third across the South West
Calls for a specialist online crime agency are being made
Last updated 1st Feb 2025
Urgent action is being demanded after new data revealed the devastating impact of online crime across the South West.
Figures show the amount of money lost to internet scammers has grown by 30% in the last 12 months.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the region saw over 6,000 reports of online shopping fraud made to police forces.
It's lead to calls from Liberal Democrat Leader, Ed Davey, for a specialist organisation to target the issue.
Mr Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton, is demanding an Online Crime Agency be created, saying we can't expect ordinary police officers to handle such cases with the expertise required.
He said: “Criminals are preying on vulnerable people with frauds and scams online on an industrial scale. Yet the last Conservative Government sat on its hands and let these fraudsters get away with it.
“People have lost eye-watering amounts of money to online fraudsters and we urgently need real action to stop them.
“We are urging the Government to set up a new Online Crime Agency to tackle fraud, bring these vile criminals to justice, and free up police time to focus on keeping our communities safe.”
His calls have been backed by Melksham and Devizes MP, Brian Mathew, who said internet scams can cause 'irreparable damage' to victims, with criminals vanishing into thin air.
Mr Mathew said: “Without proper, robust action from this Government, this will only spiral further out of control. Families here in Wiltshire and across the South West simply cannot afford for this to be an option.
“An Online Crime Agency will not only prevent innocent people being lured into traps online, but it would ease the burden on police forces across our region.”