Bank scheme helping to prevent £1.5m fraud

More than £1.5 million of fraud has been prevented in Scotland under a new scheme where bank staff alert police to potential victims.

The Banking Protocol was introduced in March this year to prevent fraud.

Bank workers contact police if a customer requests to withdraw or transfer a sum of money which appears unusual for them.

Police Scotland said they had responded to around 250 calls and a number of arrests had been made.

The Banking Protocol was developed as a partnership between the finance industry, police and Trading Standards.

Katy Worobec, managing director of economic crime at UK Finance, said: “Fraud can have a devastating impact on victims and is often targeted at the most vulnerable people in society, which is why we must work together to prevent it.”