Crackdown on £4m fraudsters

POLICE have launched a crackdown on fraudsters and their money mules who have moved £4.1million of illicit cash through bank accounts in Greater Manchester in just five months.

Offenders launder cash acquired by fraud, deception and theft through the accounts of others in order to ensure there is no connection between them and the initial crime, which often involves them conning innocent people into handing over large amounts of cash.

Officers today executed warrants at addresses across north Manchester, targeting a group which received over £75,000 from victims scammed into paying money into an account by someone claiming to be a county court bailiff.

The police action forms part of a three-month operation — codenamed Ranger — which has so far resulted in 14 arrests and 14 warrants executed.

Money mules are recruited by fraudsters to take funds into their bank account for a fee before it is then transferred or withdrawn. They are the first people to handle the cash and play a key role in every fraud — without them the money could not be transferred from the victim and released to offenders as profit, or to fund further criminal activity.

Det Insp Martin Hopkinson said: “These fraudsters prey on the vulnerable twice — first through conning the money from trusting individuals and then again by filtering those ill-gotten gains through numerous bank accounts.

“Pursuing the bank account owners — the money mules themselves — allows us to streamline investigations, increase the number of cases we can investigate and bring more offenders to justice.

“We believe that by reaching the account holders, we reduce the access points for fraudsters — creating a hostile environment in which to operate and stopping illegitimate cash getting into the hands of criminals.

“These underhand tactics will not be tolerated. The illegal funds finance more serious and violent crime which can destroy communities. We urge people who are approached to consider their actions before taking part in such a deal. There’s no such thing as easy money, and a criminal record is the only thing you’ll gain from it.”

Between October, 2015, and February, 2016, GMP recorded 1,475 fraud crimes, of which 490 (33 per cent) were solely in relation to money mules, amounting to £4.1million of fraudulently obtained funds.

During 2014/15 GMP recorded over 4,600 fraud- related crimes and it is anticipated that this figure will rise to over 5,500 during the year 2015/16.

A typical fraud investigation can take 12-15 months to complete, targeting the initial fraud offence and following the stolen funds through a complex web of transfers.

l If you suspect fraud is being committed in your area, call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.