Frauds

Four men have been charged with theft and fraud offences in south London as a result of an investigation by the local proactive team based in Southwark.

The following men were charged today (Tuesday, 27 February) with conspiracy to dishonestly receive stolen goods (namely mobile telephones) and conspiracy to commit fraud by making a false representation between 28 December 2022 and 26 February 2024:

Action Fraud has revealed thousands of people were hit by holiday scams in 2023. Here's how to protect yourself from fraud.

Holidaymakers have been told to be vigilant when seeking out summer getaway deals after thousands of prospective travellers were hit by fraud in 2023, a new police campaign has warned.

https://moneyweek.com/personal-finance/holiday-scams-warning-police

Sun seekers looking to book their summer getaway are being warned to look out for fraudulent deals, as new data released today shows victims lost a staggering £12.3 million to holiday fraud last year.

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting service, has launched a holiday fraud campaign ahead of the summer months, urging holiday goers to play it safe online and do their research before booking their trip.

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/dont-lose-out-before-flying-out-action-fraud-urge-holiday-makers-to-watch-out-for-fraudsters-online

A couple who used more than £200,000 of social care payments meant for their disabled son to fund their own "extravagant lifestyle" have been spared jail.

Rebecca and Simon Toloui claimed the money from Suffolk County Council between 2015 and 2019, committing what is thought to be "one of the largest direct payment frauds".

Scammers have sent out hundreds of bogus emails over the past few weeks, impersonating life insurance companies.

Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has received over 800 reports of fraudulent emails purporting to be from reputable life insurance companies.

Consumer watchdog Foodwatch said it was filing a legal complaint Wednesday against food giant Nestle and another group over them allegedly fraudulently treating water for their top mineral water brands.

A government probe reported by media last month said about 30 percent of mineral water sold in France had undergone purification treatment only meant to be used on tap water.

We are pleased that our Crimestoppers Yorkshire romance fraud campaign audio advert won CCUK Audio Ad of The Year 2023.

The campaign was launched across Yorkshire last November, to warn people using dating apps to be aware of the harm caused by so-called romance fraudsters.

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/news-campaigns/news/2024/feb/crimestoppers-yorkshire-romance-fraud-campaign-advert-wins-national-award

An article in The Guardian this week will concern many of those involved in the letting process, especially renters who run the risk of having their savings stolen.

A teacher who was attempting to rent a property in north London has warned others to be on their guard if their mobile phone suddenly stops working. Fraudsters apparently used the ID information she had given to a letting agent to first take over her phone and then clean out her bank account.

Advance fee fraud is when fraudsters target victims to make advance or upfront payments for goods, services and/or financial gains that do not materialise.

Types of advance fee fraud include:

Career opportunity scams

Clairvoyant or psychic scams

Cheque overpayment fraud

Dating or romance scams

Fraud recovery fraud

Impersonation of officials

Inheritance fraud

Fraud detection has seen a double-digit increase from the prior year.

Allianz Commercial reported a significant increase in detected claims fraud for the year 2023, with the figures reaching £77.4 million, up from £70.7 million in the previous year.

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/claims/allianz-fraud-savings-in-claims-hit-nearly-80-million-in-2023-476837.aspx