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00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,815
7am, north London...
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00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,455
Yeah, wait.
Police! Open up.
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00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:13,935
...police are here to arrest
a suspected fraudster.
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00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,095
Tell me about your involvement
in this.
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00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,215
It's the police, can you let us in
the block, please?
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LOCK CLICKS
Thank you.
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Fraudsters steal billions
every year.
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They impersonate banks
and even the police.
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He was very caring.
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All the time it was,
"Please, don't worry."
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They target the vulnerable -
sometimes again and again.
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They've been praying on her
for nine years now.
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They've befriended her and built up
some sort of relationship with Mum.
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It's estimated 40% of all crime in
England and Wales is fraud.
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Hello, it's the police, open up.
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Fraud, it is
a national security issue.
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It's funding other organised crime.
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You look back now and you think,
how stupid were we?
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Yeah. But at that moment in time,
it was...
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...it was quite terrifying.
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00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,695
Every year, fraudsters relieve us
of an estimated £5 billion.
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00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:22,695
Last year in Kent alone,
12,000 frauds were reported.
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Panorama's been filming there for
almost a year
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with the Kent Police Fraud Squad.
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The groups that operate tend
to be from London.
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The whole of Kent, it is targeted
because it's a quick journey
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for them to come and pick up
the cash.
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We've also got quite an aged
population, again,
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which is who they look
to target, often.
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So it sort of just goes hand-in-hand
with the sort of population type.
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Police are increasingly worried
about something
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they call courier fraud.
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It begins with a call from a
fraudster pretending to be
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a police officer or bank official,
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and ends with a courier collecting
cash or bank cards from your home.
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00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,935
When fraudsters called 90-year-old
jean, she believed it was her bank.
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I was in bed and the phone rang,
so I scrambled to pick it up.
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Ancl a voice said to me,
"Have you had your debit card?"
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Well, I had had a notice that
my debit card was coming to me.
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I was a bit perturbed so I said,
"Well, no."
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They said, "Oh, clear."
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"Oh, clear, your card's been
cancel led, in that case.
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"You can't use it."
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00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,095
By chance, jean was already
expecting a new card.
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The fraudsters told her it had
been lost in the post,
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so they were cancelling her cards.
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00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,415
Jean was then asked if she'd
like a new PIN number.
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00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:48,695
Ancl I said "No, I want my old
number."
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00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,295
Without thinking, immediately said
it, what my number was.
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00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,215
The scammers now had
Jean's PIN number -
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all they needed to complete the con
was to convince her
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to part with her card.
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00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:03,335
Put the phone down, two seconds
later, the phone rang
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00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,655
and a woman's voice came and said,
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00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,015
"Good afternoon, yes,
I'm here to help you."
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Ancl she said, "We have to get your
card back here.
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00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,215
"It so happens I've got
a courier close by,
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"they could come
and collect it for me.
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00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,415
"Have the card ready
in an envelope."
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00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,935
It sounded very official,
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00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,175
and I felt quite confident that
the bank was behind me.
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00:03:27,920 --> 00:03:30,895
Jean handed over her debit card
to the courier.
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00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:33,735
Within minutes,
it was used to withdraw £400
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in cash from her account.
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00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,615
The following morning,
I went to pay the window cleaner
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and I thought, "Oh,
some money's gone from my bank."
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At that point,
then the penny dropped.
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The fraudsters had also withdrawn
£4,000 from her bank account,
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after impersonating
her on the phone.
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It completely shook me and
I said to myself,
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00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:03,015
you know, "Am I all right?
Am I coping with life all right?"
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00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,895
Last summer, Kent Police received
140 reports of courier fraud.
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Banks in England and Wales lost
£120 million last year to
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fraudsters impersonating police
or other officials.
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00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,815
They normally target an area
and hit it hard
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00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:25,535
and are making lots of calls because
there will be a lot of people
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00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,935
that just realise it's a scam
and won't engage.
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00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,535
Police investigating Jean's
case are about to make an arrest.
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00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,335
They've identified a suspect whose
bank account was used
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to hold jean's £4,000.
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00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,655
This morning, we're going to execute
a warrant under Section 8 of PACE
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at an address around the corner
and it's in regards to
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00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,175
fraud by false representation.
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00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,695
The suspect is what's known
as a money mule.
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00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,495
Recruited by fraudsters, money mules
agreed to allow the stolen cash
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00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,095
to be paid into their
bank accounts.
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00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,175
What we're looking for is
the mobile phones,
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so we want to try and get their
PIN code quite early on.
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00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,655
We can see that they will ring
many people during one clay
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in an attempt to try and con them.
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00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,775
So we will analyse that and you'll
be able to see
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00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,255
when they've got someone
on the hook.
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00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:15,255
The police hope the money mule's
phone will provide evidence
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00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:17,935
to help identify others in the gang.
95
00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,615
Intelligence on our systems
we share with the Met,
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00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,215
linking this suspect with
other frauds.
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00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,775
That's why we made the decision to
execute the warrant today.
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00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,895
It's the police, can you let us
in the block, please?
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00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:30,855
LOCK CLICKS
Thank you.
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00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:35,095
KNOCK AT DOOR
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00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,615
Hello, it's the police, open up.
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They're too late.
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The suspect has already
left for work.
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We'll get her...
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She works at a hospital nearby.
We're going to phone her.
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It's a bit disruptive for us to
start going to a hospital.
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A few days later, the suspect
agrees to come in for questioning.
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She denies being involved in fraud.
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Tell me about your
involvement in this.
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OK, so... All I...
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What happened is I was seeing
someone... Mm-hm.
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00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,255
...and he said to me,
"Oh, I don't have a bank account,
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"my mate owes me money.
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00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,335
"Can I get it put in your account?
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00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:21,455
I said, "Yeah, how much?"
He said, "4,000." I said, "Fine."
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Then it all happened
within like five minutes.
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The money went in my account.
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I transferred it to this other girl
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and that's...that's literally
pretty much all I know.
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Money mules help to launder
stolen cash.
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By paying dirty money into
legitimate bank accounts,
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the money is instantly cleaned.
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00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,295
What we're seeing is that a lot of
money mules are being recruited,
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quite openly on online platforms.
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00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,335
It might often be younger people
who are asked to do it,
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and they might walk into it
unwittingly and become a money mule,
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so let their account be used
for money-laundering.
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The person that you were seeing,
have you got a name for him?
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00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:06,215
He said his name's Dom.
I did have a mobile number for him.
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00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,535
But he kept always calling on
different numbers.
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Do you know a surname for Dom?
Not at all. No.
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00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:21,055
Police obtain CCTV footage showing
a man believed to be Dom.
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He's got 90-year-old
Jean's bank card.
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He's put the victim's bank
card into the machine.
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Put his hood up to cover his
identity a little further.
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00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,175
He's entering the PIN
into the machine.
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That's a £250 withdrawal
on this occasion.
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Police are unable to
identify the man
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and their inquiry hits a dead end.
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The suspected money mule is let
off with a police warning.
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Jean's case is closed.
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00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,655
With courier frauds,
we initially look at:
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is it happening now?
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00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,215
Is there an enforcement opportunity?
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00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,215
If that's not the case, our main
focus is to try and support
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00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,975
the victim and try and get their
money back through their banks.
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00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,455
Jean's bank has refunded all the
money stolen by the fraudsters.
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00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:23,015
You know, it doesn't matter who
you are, once you've been targeted,
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it's quite likely they will
target you again soon.
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So I've been -
tried to be very aware.
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00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,095
Nearly a million frauds were
reported to police last
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00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,375
year in England and Wales,
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but only around 5,300 people
were convicted.
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Goodness me.
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00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,375
Last year, Geoff and Jane were
targeted by scammers
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pretending to be the police.
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A gentleman said that he was
from the police,
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he was a police inspector,
and that money had been
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00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,135
taken from our account.
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00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,295
He was suggesting that it wanted
to be investigated further.
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00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,935
The scammer said they wanted
Geoff and Jane's help,
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00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,535
but what they didn't know was the
real police were already onto them
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00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:13,895
and were also talking to
Geoff and Jane.
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They said, "You've been talking
on the phone from a number
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"that we've been tracing.
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"This is a fraudster,"
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00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:29,575
and if we were willing to help them,
then they might be able to
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00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:35,175
catch the people who were
perpetrating these... Mm.
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00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,615
...these frauds.
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00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:39,975
A detective came to the
house and was filming
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when they got their next call
from the scammers.
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He was very, very...
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...erm, I suppose, caring.
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Mm. It was all the time, it was,
"Please, don't worry,
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"you're being brilliant,
you're being a great help."
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00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,895
Jane and Geoff were told that not
only were corrupt bank officials
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00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,855
stealing their money, they were also
handling counterfeit notes.
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00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,615
The fraudsters told the couple
there was a way to catch
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00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,895
the bent officials red-handed -
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00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:15,575
go to the bank and withdraw
£5,000 in cash.
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00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,335
Right, 0|<.
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00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,535
So you just want me to put the phone
down and not...
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00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:26,415
Leave the line open.
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00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:30,175
OK.
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00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:34,055
The offenders make sure that the
victims keep their phone lines open
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00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,215
and the reason for that is the fact
that they can't then be contacted
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00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,775
by genuine police officers
and obviously family members
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00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:46,335
and it allows the complete control
and coercion of the victims.
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00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:49,495
SHE SIGHS
190
00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:52,655
Yeah.
191
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,095
Ooh, that's very true, yes.
192
00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:58,895
Yeah, that would be a bit silly,
wouldn't it?
193
00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:00,495
THEY LAUGH
194
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,695
Jane and Geoff didn't go
to the bank,
195
00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,495
but under the watchful eye
of the police,
196
00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:06,535
played along with the
counterfeit story,
197
00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:09,335
reading out some made up
serial numbers.
198
00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,295
The fraudsters took the bait,
199
00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,615
saying that many of the
notes were fakes.
200
00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,535
They sent a courier to pick them up.
201
00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,455
SHE CHUCKLES
202
00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,015
When the courier arrived,
police told Jane and Geoff
203
00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:30,135
not to answer the door.
204
00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:32,335
They had the courier under
surveillance.
205
00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,855
As a result of the female
courier being followed,
206
00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,615
the investigation of that of fence
is now being looked at
207
00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,375
on a wider scale, with a series of
similar of fences.
208
00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:49,295
Geoff and Jane didn't lose any money
but the police operation failed.
209
00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,175
No-one's been arrested.
210
00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,135
Fraudsters often operate across
county borders,
211
00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,295
so police forces must work together.
212
00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,655
Panorama has been given access to a
joint fraud special operations unit.
213
00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,695
Officers from six forces
are taking part.
214
00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,615
Courier fraud is a massive issue,
nationally.
215
00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,375
The team I now represent
216
00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,015
will look at the organised crime
groups solely.
217
00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,295
Criminals who are sophisticated
in their methodology.
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00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:37,935
KNOCK AT DOOR
219
00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:39,775
Police.
220
00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:43,055
KNOCK AT DOOR
221
00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:44,815
Yeah, wait. Yeah, open up.
222
00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,295
We've got a warrant for your arrest,
223
00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,095
for the premises to be searched.
224
00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:50,895
Can you open up the door, please?
225
00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:52,455
Hello, madam, we've got a warrant.
226
00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:55,215
Police believe the woman's a courier
who's been involved in frauds
227
00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,775
worth almost £100,000.
228
00:12:57,800 --> 00:12:59,775
She's 18 years old.
229
00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,695
This female we've arrested today
represents the courier -
230
00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:08,935
the person that's going to the
victims' addresses,
231
00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,895
tasked by the person who controls
her, to collect the cash.
232
00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,415
She may get a small
percentage of that money.
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00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:17,735
From our research, 5-10%, normally.
234
00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,495
But if you look at it in the context
of if she's picking up
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00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,455
£5,000 on average a time,
or if not more,
236
00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,215
that's £500 for probably a
couple of hours work.
237
00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,935
OK, let's start with the first
of fence that occurred
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00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,335
on the 10th December 2021.
239
00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,855
Collecting the cash makes the
courier the most exposed
240
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:35,895
member of the criminal network.
241
00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:41,255
By arresting her, police hope to
identify others higher up.
242
00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,295
She was interviewed twice and this
is what she's got to say -
243
00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,015
frustratingly, not a lot.
244
00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:47,655
Tell me how you got there.
245
00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,975
Police have nearly a dozen people
who say they've handed money
246
00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:53,295
to this courier.
247
00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,535
Did you travel by taxi?
248
00:13:55,560 --> 00:13:58,135
But the suspect isn't playing ball.
249
00:13:58,160 --> 00:13:59,975
She went "no comment" throughout.
250
00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:05,735
Come on.
251
00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:08,975
Last summer, Jane and Mark were
targeted by the same gang
252
00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,735
police believe the courier
was working for,
253
00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:14,175
and they were using
a familiar storyline.
254
00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,775
A man claiming to be a police
officer phoned Mark,
255
00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,735
saying bank staff had
stolen his savings.
256
00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,215
Mark was initially suspicious.
257
00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,495
He said, "Would you like to
verify my credentials?"
258
00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,655
I said, "Well...
259
00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,575
"Yeah, because I really don't want
to go any further with it."
260
00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,575
The bogus police officer
told Mark to check his identity
261
00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,975
by hanging up and dialling 999.
262
00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:44,455
I said, "I'd like to verify a
warrant card."
263
00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,455
She said, "Yes, what officer?"
264
00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,655
So I gave the name,
gave the warrant card.
265
00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,015
"Yes, he is a police officer."
266
00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,095
What Mark didn't realise was
the scammers hadn't hung up
267
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,175
their side of the call.
268
00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,735
They'd kept the line open and
played a fake dialling tone,
269
00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,575
so Mark thought he was
ringing the police.
270
00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,335
Well, at that point... We'd come
together in the office, hadn't we?
271
00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:07,575
Yeah. I was sort of saying,
"What's going on?"
272
00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,175
Mark said, "Come and help me,
273
00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:11,335
"something's going on with
our bank account."
274
00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,735
I was like, "How much...how much
have we lost, what are we talking?"
275
00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:17,455
Ancl they said, "Well, we can't give
you that detail
276
00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,095
"but if you'd like to phone your own
bank by using the number
277
00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:24,215
"on the back of your bank card,"
so it all just seemed very genuine.
278
00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:28,535
When Jane rang the bank, once again,
the scammers had kept the line open.
279
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,455
Jane was taken in by the
woman on the phone.
280
00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,655
Ancl so she gradually started to go
through all these transactions.
281
00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,535
10,000 going to Nigeria and
10,000 to Spain.
282
00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,375
We absolutely believed...
We'd lost it.
283
00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,175
...that we'd dialled 999.
Yeah.
284
00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,215
Ancl we absolutely believed we'd
spoken to our bank.
285
00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,095
Ancl so therefore you have
absolutely no reason
286
00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,015
to think that there was anything
untoward going on.
287
00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,375
I was actually, like, in tears
at that point. Distraught.
288
00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:57,735
Because I was saying, you know,
289
00:15:57,760 --> 00:15:59,535
"They've taken everything
that we've got."
290
00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,935
We've ever worked for.
291
00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,335
With Jane and Mark convinced their
account had been cleaned out,
292
00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,495
the fake police then told them
they could help catch the crooks.
293
00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,895
They said they'd pay £6,000
into Jane and Mark's account
294
00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:15,935
and use it as bait.
295
00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,775
Alljane and Mark had to do
was withdraw it.
296
00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:23,295
You look back now and you think,
how stupid were we?
297
00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,775
Yeah. But, at that moment in time,
it was...
298
00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:28,775
...it was quite terrifying.
299
00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,095
Ancl it was very real.
Ancl it was so real. Very, very real.
300
00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,575
Ancl they were very, very convincing.
301
00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,855
When they got home from the bank,
the scammers were still on the line.
302
00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,615
They said the money was most
likely counterfeit
303
00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,055
and could be used to arrest
the corrupt bank staff.
304
00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,215
That means now that we're sitting
here with counterfeit money,
305
00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,055
which then immediately made me
feel a little bit uneasy
306
00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,175
and they said, "Well, don't worry,
we'll come and collect it from you."
307
00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,095
A courier collected the £6,000.
308
00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:59,975
Only afterwards did they realise
they'd been scammed.
309
00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,295
I took the dog out and I still had
these warrant numbers
310
00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,135
on a sheet of paper that
I'd written down,
311
00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,815
and I went to see my friend who is
an ex police officer.
312
00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:16,255
So I said, "Can you tell me, are
these Met police warrant numbers?"
313
00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,575
And he baked at me and he went,
“No. what's up?“
314
00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,255
Ancl at the same point... And he
just said, "Mate, you've been done."
315
00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,215
...as you came back in the door,
I went, "|t was a scam",
316
00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,175
and you said, "Yeah."
317
00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,695
Police believe the courier
who collected the money was
318
00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,415
the 18-year-old arrested
in north London.
319
00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,655
Her case was sent to the Crown
Prosecution Service nine months ago.
320
00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,535
No decision has yet been
made about charges.
321
00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,535
Those higher up in the gang
have not been caught.
322
00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,015
Bringing justice to victims
is really important.
323
00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:52,175
But we recognise that we're
not going to stop
324
00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,015
courier fraud by just
investigating it.
325
00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,135
So improving awareness to the public
so they protect themselves
326
00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,935
online or on the phone,
simple awareness messages.
327
00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,335
Of course I know a good deal
when I see one.
328
00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:08,375
If you're the victim of fraud in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
329
00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,375
you're encouraged to report it to
Action Fraud.
330
00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,815
You wouldn't give your information
to a stranger,
331
00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,055
don't do it over the phone.
For advice...
332
00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,935
Action Fraud is run
by City of London Police
333
00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:20,815
on behalf of the Government.
334
00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,815
It also aims to help the public
avoid being scammed.
335
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:27,615
Hi, Mrs Walker? Yes?
336
00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,095
Can you please tell me
your password?
337
00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,055
Normally you only ask
for two digits.
338
00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:34,895
But due to the nature of
the circumstances,
339
00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,255
I'm afraid we're going to have to
go with a slightly higher security.
340
00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:42,375
Action Fraud has just 95 staff
at its call centre.
341
00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,175
Last year, they received
almost 1,000 crime reports a day.
342
00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,935
Sir Bob Neill chairs the
parliamentary committee
343
00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,935
which has been looking at how
fraud is handled.
344
00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,855
There's increasing frustration
with people that, when they report
345
00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:01,735
fraud to Action Fraud at the moment,
it really is a bit of a black hole.
346
00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,855
Ancl there's no real care, it seemed
to us, for victims of fraud.
347
00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,815
Frankly, we concluded it wasn't
fit for purpose.
348
00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,975
Of the 30,000 crimes reported to
Action Fraud each month,
349
00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,255
only 1,500 are passed to police
to investigate.
350
00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,815
If we look at a case and
it's just not solvable,
351
00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,095
whether money has left the UK
or for whatever reason,
352
00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:24,495
we wouldn't necessarily send the
case out to that police force
353
00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,575
to investigate because they
can't investigate it.
354
00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,055
The second issue will be where we
know clue to resources that
355
00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,095
that local police force will only
investigate a certain amount
356
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:37,015
within a certain criteria.
357
00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:41,175
So we will hold back from sending
out some of those cases as well.
358
00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:45,495
In Kent, 12,000 reports were made
to Action Fraud last year.
359
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:47,735
Just 500 were passed on to police.
360
00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,575
So out of those 500,
when we look at going
361
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,135
to the criminal justice system,
around 4% is what we call
362
00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,895
our detection rate,
which means they ended up in charges
363
00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:00,095
from the Crown Prosecution Service.
364
00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:06,095
4% detection rate means
just 20 possible court cases
365
00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:08,495
from 12,000 complaints.
366
00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,095
Action Fraud says it's planning
improvements.
367
00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:14,615
We are actually implementing
new technology
368
00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:16,535
for Action Fraud for 2024.
369
00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,415
We need to be much better at
explaining to victims
370
00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,535
how the process works and what's
happening with their cases.
371
00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,535
Some people become repeat
victims of fraud...
372
00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,255
...likejo and Corinne's mum,
Carol, who has dementia.
373
00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,455
This is Mum's house.
374
00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,255
Lived here since 1976.
375
00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:46,015
That's quite nice, actually.
376
00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,415
Certainly happy memories with
Mum and Dad here. Yeah.
377
00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,815
That don't look too good, that one,
does it?
378
00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,975
Dad took early retirement and
lived life to the full.
379
00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:55,775
Erm...
380
00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,015
...and unfortunately,
he died when he was 68.
381
00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:05,015
Jo and Corinne's dad, Trevor, was an
engineer and amateur racing driver.
382
00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:09,935
When he died in 2012, Carol didn't
have to worry about money.
383
00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:14,015
He had a lovely pension to leave
Mum and, you know,
384
00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:18,575
they had a place in New Zealand that
he sold just before he died
385
00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:20,735
and there was a lot of
money from that.
386
00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:22,855
You know, she was set up.
387
00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,575
But just a few years after
her husband died,
388
00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,135
Carol was targeted by fraudsters,
389
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,215
selling her fake investment schemes.
390
00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:35,775
One of Mum's financial advisers
was worried.
391
00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,495
Mum had asked to release more money.
392
00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,495
Ancl he was slightly
worried about her behaviour.
393
00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,295
When they looked through their
mum's bank statements,
394
00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:46,575
jo and Corinne were in for a shock.
395
00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,855
She'd ended up on a
fraudster's hit list
396
00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:52,015
and had become the victim
of repeated scams.
397
00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:56,455
After reporting losses of more
than £140,000,
398
00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,295
her bank tried to get back
some of her money.
399
00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,375
November 2018.
400
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:06,375
2,500 recovered from 142,000.
401
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,415
Oh, that's unbelievable. Yeah.
402
00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:11,375
Sick. Sick.
403
00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:15,975
We're particularly concerned
about investment scams
404
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,175
because often they involve
life-changing sums of money.
405
00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,215
The fraudsters work on the victim
over a period of time.
406
00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,375
So it's not just one investment,
407
00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:29,255
and perhaps the victim might even
see some return, initially.
408
00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,975
But they are drawn into the scam,
409
00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:36,375
so therefore get duped
out of huge sums of money.
410
00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,335
Another fraudster's been taking
money from Carol for years.
411
00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:44,055
He's told her she's investing her
money in diamonds.
412
00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:48,815
Again, her bank statements show
the extent of the fraud.
413
00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,695
This is one file we've found,
414
00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:55,095
which Mum's been making monthly
transfers to.
415
00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,695
240, the 12th April.
416
00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,895
The 20th April, 290.
417
00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,575
Another one in May, 480.
418
00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:09,575
It's every...every page that you
look at is more payments.
419
00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:14,015
They amount to between 1,500
and 2,000 a month.
420
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,055
Ancl this has been going on
for about nine years.
421
00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:18,455
All bank transfers.
422
00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,615
So about 25,000 a year.
423
00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,695
Ancl she's still received nothing.
424
00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,855
Carol's still receiving calls
from the fraudster,
425
00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,055
who calls himself David.
426
00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,455
She's already paid him
at least £200,000.
427
00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:38,535
But he wants more.
428
00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:39,575
MESSAGE TONE BEEPS
429
00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:01,255
David, that's all we know him as.
430
00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:06,415
He's the one who phones Mum
and asks her to pay by credit.
431
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,535
PHONE KEYPAD BEEPS
432
00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:12,215
jo and Corinne have already reported
David to the police,
433
00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,135
but they're keeping in touch with
him, hoping he'll give them
434
00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,655
a clue that could help find him
and their mum's stolen money.
435
00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:24,575
Hello, David.
It's Carol's daughter again.
436
00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:26,535
Oh, hello, there.
How are you doing, are you OK?
437
00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,975
Yes. I was listening to your message
on the answer machine.
438
00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,695
I'm just a bit worried -
you're not going to cancel
439
00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:34,735
Mum's account, are you?
440
00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:43,815
OK, thank you.
441
00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,295
OK, David, thank you.
442
00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,415
Thanks for that. Bye-bye.
OK, bye-bye.
443
00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,455
It's not just a one-off -
they've been preying on her
444
00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,855
for nine years now.
445
00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,015
And that's what...
446
00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,815
That's what makes it, you know,
they've befriended her
447
00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,215
and built up some sort of
relationship with Mum.
448
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,335
Ancl she actually believes what
they're saying.
449
00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:11,535
You know? She does.
That's the sad part.
450
00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,895
Police discover that David's been
calling from India.
451
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,895
That meansjo and Corinne have
almost no chance
452
00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:22,775
of recovering their mum's money.
453
00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,895
Even when there is an investigation,
it's quite common for that
454
00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,175
investigation to reach an
end of life cycle,
455
00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:35,135
where money has left the UK, it's
gone to a foreign jurisdiction that
456
00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,495
we cannot access and unfortunately
we cannot progress that case.
457
00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:40,695
And that's very sad for us
to tell that victim that
458
00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:42,815
that investigation can't continue.
459
00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,335
Police have had some successes in
their fight against fraud.
460
00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:54,055
Last year, a joint UK-US operation
shut down a scammers' website
461
00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,415
and arrested more than 100 people
who'd been using it.
462
00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:04,055
Since March 2020,
463
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:09,735
surveys suggest there's been a 25%
rise in fraud in England and Wales.
464
00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,895
In the same period, the number of
convictions
465
00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:16,535
dropped from around 11,000
to just over 6,000.
466
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,695
The rewards for the fraudsters
are very significant
467
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,015
and very substantial because they
are ruthless and organised people.
468
00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,575
40% of all recorded crime, at least,
469
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:31,095
but only 2% of dedicated
police resources.
470
00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:33,175
That's a massive mismatch,
471
00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,015
and that then feeds its way
through into why there is
472
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:38,575
so little proactive work
to prevent it
473
00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:41,655
and why victims feel that they're
almost forgotten about.
474
00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:44,655
The sense that it's treated
as a victimless crime.
475
00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:46,935
The Government says it's
committed to...
476
00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:58,415
It says it's spent an extra £400
million on tackling economic crime,
477
00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,895
and has plans to publish a fraud
strategy
478
00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,455
to "stop fraud attempts at source",
and...
479
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,895
For the victims of fraud,
the damage can be long lasting.
480
00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:25,695
I can't believe that other human
beings can do this to other humans.
481
00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:30,815
|t's...it's the most unkindest,
nastiest thing.
482
00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,855
With so few fraud cases
being solved,
483
00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:38,215
those who've fallen prey to scams
have a warning for all of us.
484
00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,415
We didn't consider ourselves
vulnerable but obviously we were.
485
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,535
But there's a lot more
vulnerable than us.
486
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,255
So you just feel for everybody
that's been through it.
487
00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:51,135
We had no physical presence in
the house but for a good
488
00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:55,335
couple of months afterwards, it just
felt like we'd been violated.