Region fleeced out of £66m as gift card scams and money muling run rife
Police have warned people to be on the lookout for new scams after fraudsters took more than £60million off victims in the West Midlands in less than a year.
Since April 2022 West Midlands Police says it has received 10,139 reports of fraud and cyber crime, with losses totalling £66.2m.
It comes after the force launched a crackdown on online fraud in a bid to target two key scams that are seeing an increased number of victims.
A report to the Police and Crime Commissioner's strategic board said online and fraud offences in the region had increased five-fold in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
It said a number of ongoing initiatives were aimed at preventing fraud and cyber crime, including a project targeting the rising trend of gift card scams.
The report says: "We have seen an increase in the number of victims that are being coerced in to purchasing gift cards and sharing the code with offenders.
"The Economic Crime Unit is currently compiling information briefing packs, initiating conversations and establishing the appropriate contacts to progress educating retail staff on this new method of offence.
"If retailers are also in agreement as well as the briefing packs when possible face to face or zoom webinars will be provided. This will help assist in identifying victims and preventing victims at first point of contact.
"It will also help raise any concerns and in turn disrupt offending. We will also arrange for protect messaging to be displayed on gift card stands to educate the general public."
The report also warned of a rise in 'money mule' activity, where people allow their bank accounts to be used to transfer stolen cash.
As part of Operation Henhouse cease and desist notices will be issued to offenders, while more than 4,000 school pupils have taken part in a project addressing the dangers of money muling.
