Investigators fear frauds ‘only tip of iceberg’
INVESTIGATORS FIGHTING to get justice for vulnerable people in Yorkshire who have fallen victim to fraudsters face massive challenges ahead because they have only uncovered “the tip of the iceberg”.
Ruth Andrews, head of investigations and safeguarding for Operation Gauntlet – the North Yorkshire County Council team tackling fraud, scam mail, phone frauds, doorstep crime and distraction burglaries – said her team had returned £200,000 to victims since being set up in 2015. However the full scale of the problem was unknown, she said, because too many people did not report crimes.
It is estimated that only five to ten per cent of doorstep victims in the region have reported it. Research shows that 40 per cent did not report crimes for fear of “looking stupid” while others did not report it because they had dementia and did not realise they were victims.
Ms Andrews said what had been uncovered was “only the tip of the iceberg”, adding: “In reality, we are never going to be able to deal with every case, there is too much happening, so it is a case of prioritising.
“One of the important factors is about the amount of the loss. We might have a doorstep crime victim who only lost £100, but the impact on them might be more severe than for someone who has lost tens of thousands on an investment fraud, but who has a lot of money left.”
Ms Andrews is now leading a huge awareness-raising drive to advise older residents, especially those who may have been targeted through “suckers lists” drawn up by organised gangs. A scheme
to tackle loneliness and help potential sufferers lead more active social lives is also under way.
Ms Andrews said: “We know one of the key vulnerabilities around this crime is loneliness. People answer the door or pick up the phone because they don’t have social interaction.
“We’ve had victims who have written back to scam mailers because they are desperate for attention so tackling loneliness might prevent these people becoming victims.”
The North Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel heard earlier this month that while people targeted by fraudsters were often left in turmoil, the situation was exacerbated by them being left unclear about which organisation to contact to seek redress.
Councillor Peter Dew suggested a single point of contact could be created for those who have been targeted by fraudsters.
Coun Dew told a meeting at County Hall in Northallerton: “It is fairly confusing to a lot of people about who to contact when they are scammed. Is it Trading Standards, is it the police, is it the council, is it the bank? It’s a very big problem.”
North Yorkshire police and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan said she agreed a single number for reporting would improve the situation facing victims, but there were obstacles that would hamper creating a contact number for all victims in the county.