Merseyside Police join month-long fraud campaign
It's aimed at protecting the vulnerable people these criminals are targeting
Merseyside Police has joined a month-long campaign to target fraudsters and protect the vulnerable members of the community they are taking advantage of.
The operation sees officers tracking down offenders and working to seize criminal assets through court orders.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Dalton of the Economic Crime Team at Merseyside Police said:
"The vast majority of fraud we investigate is now cyber-enabled, with criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods.
"Our team is working tirelessly to identify these offenders and bring them to justice while helping our communities protect themselves from falling victim."
So far this month, detectives have interviewed eight suspects as part of ongoing investigations into a variety of fraud-related offences - and charged three others.
Cash totalling £216,345 has been seized, and seizures and forfeiture orders of various assets have been made, including £900,000 of high-value watches.
The force says online shopping fraud, courier fraud and romance fraud have become more prevalent in recent months.
Shopping Fraud: Criminals typically create fake websites that appear genuine but never deliver goods. The advice is to research unfamiliar retailers thoroughly and use secure payment methods rather than bank transfers.
Courier fraud: Fraudsters pose as police officers or bank officials claiming they need to collect cards or cash.
Detective Chief Inspector Dalton added:
"We want to be clear – no police officer or bank official will ever ask you to withdraw money or hand over cards to a courier. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately," said Detective Chief Inspector Dalton.
Romance fraud: Criminals build relationships online before requesting money for supposed emergencies. The advice is to never send money to someone they haven't met in person, and to be wary of anyone asking to keep the relationship secret.
Suspected fraud should be reported to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Information about those committing fraud can be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org.