A forcewide initiative committed to raising awareness of fraud in Derbyshire is being launched today (Tuesday, February 18) with a decided webpage to Stamp out Fraud.
Detectives are teaming up with Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council in a bid to increase public knowledge and protect the communities from becoming a victim of fraud.
The countywide drive will focus on offering top tips and advice to encourage the public to take action against fraudsters and give them the opportunity to hear from victims of the crime.
Detective Inspector Rob King, Head of the Derbyshire Economic Crime Unit said: “The National Fraud Authority estimates that the cost of fraud to the UK economy is a staggering £52 billion pounds per year – that’s a billion pounds per week, and while only a small part of that is accountable to Derbyshire these numbers are very worrying.
“The national threat from fraud is growing at an alarming rate which appears to be significantly aided by society’s increasing use of the internet.
“We aim to target this issue head on by predicting fraud offending trends in Derbyshire and increasing public knowledge of the crime to ultimately stop fraud.
“Just remember, if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is.”
The dedicated page on the force website includes the latest news releases about frauds that have happened in the county, useful advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of the crime, as well as the latest convictions.
The website also features a top tips video hosted by Detective Inspector Rob King and Detective Constable Julie Wheeldon, to highlight the simple steps that be taken to stay safe online, from using social media sites to online banking.
To find out more about visit the dedicated Stamp out Fraud page at www.derbyshire.police.uk/stampoutfraud
If you think that you have been a victim of fraud, contact the non-emergency number for Derbyshire police on 101. Alternatively visit Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk
