Six arrested in police crackdown on £250k fraud in Lancashire

Six people, including a 55-year-old man from St Annes, have been arrested in a crackdown operation led by Lancashire police and local banks.
Cops targeted love scammers and rogue tradersCops targeted love scammers and rogue traders
Cops targeted love scammers and rogue traders

A total of £259,067 of fraud in the county was stopped in the first half of 2020 through the Banking Protocol scheme, which enables bank staff to alert their local police force immediately when they suspect a customer is being scammed.

Six arrests were made through the scheme between January and June 2020.

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One involved a 55-year-old man from St Annes who was arrested on suspicion theft after concerns were raised about attempted cash withdrawal attempts by a man in his 70s. He has since been released on bail until December 19.

Det Insp Warren Atkinson, of Lancashire police's economic crime unit, said: “Banks are often the first point of contact when someone is about to fall victim to fraud, so the banking protocol is a vital way of protecting vulnerable victims and preventing criminals from taking advantage of them.

“Having a system in place where an immediate police response can be generated to a suspected fraud, allows officers to gain vital evidence and increases our chances of catching the criminal in person, or following the money trail right to their door.”

Branch staff involved in Banking Protocol are trained to spot the warning signs that someone may have fallen victim to a scam.

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A total of 64 calls were made to police in the between the start of January and end of June, putting a stop to courier scams, romance fraud and rogue traders.

National data shows that customers helped through the Banking Protocol are typically aged over 65 while some were over 100 years old.

Katy Worobec, managing director of economic crime, UK Finance, said: “It is sickening that criminals are preying on elderly and vulnerable victims during this difficult time. Bank branch staff and police on the front line are doing an heroic job in stopping these cruel scams and helping bring those responsible to justice."

For advice on how to spot the signs and how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, visit Action Fraud’s website at actionfraud.police.uk.