Menu
25/01/2011
Met Police Seize Scam Mail Aimed At UK Victims
In the first operation of its kind, officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Economic and Specialist Crime Unit (Operation Sterling) took possession of a bulk delivery of scam mail intended for vulnerable victims across the UK and searched and closed five virtual offices used by the scammers.
Sent by professional fraudsters, the letters are designed to con recipients into investing in bogus schemes such as fake lotteries, share frauds and inheritance scams. They depend on persuading victims to transfer money to the criminals based on promises of valuable goods, services, or benefits that are never delivered.
After replying to the first 'tempter' letter, victims' names are put on a 'suckers' list which is then sold to other criminals all over the world. Sucker lists are comprised of some of the most vulnerable people in society, namely the elderly and those suffering from illnesses such as dementia.
Chronic victims of scam mail end up being hounded by numerous criminal organisations and an estimated £3.5 billion is 'scammed' from UK citizens each year. Around £2.4 billion of this is believed to be as a result of mail scams.
The operation, which is being run in partnership with Royal Mail and international mail service provider Spring Global Mail, is part of a long-running police investigation into the organised criminal networks behind these scams.
The investigation began earlier this year when detectives, with the help of Trading Standards and other police forces, contacted 11 scam mail victims from across the UK who had been repeatedly targeted. These people were receiving more than 100 letters each week, the majority of which originated from outside the UK.
The 11 victims were asked to collate their post over a four-week period. This post was taken to New Scotland Yard where it was analysed. It was then sent to the Crown Prosecution Service, where a senior lawyer deemed it to be illegal under the Fraud Act 2006.
Postal marks printed on the envelopes, known as a postage paid impression (PPI), were then used to trace the post back to source. This was done with the help of Royal Mail and Spring Global Mail.
In one case, a total of 27 scams were linked to one PPI. In a bid to crack down on the criminals behind these scams, Royal Mail and Spring Global Mail agreed to alert police when the next shipment of post bearing this PPI arrived in the UK.
Today detectives visited a UK sorting office where they seized the freight and impounded it.
The letters will become exhibits in a criminal investigation, providing detectives with an opportunity to identify chronic victims of crime, and the perpetrators of that crime, and to take appropriate action.
At the same time, five return addresses or 'virtual offices' in London identified as part of the scam process were shut down and searched for criminal evidence. These addresses are privately rented mail boxes.
As well as stopping hundreds of items of scam mail from reaching vulnerable targets, detectives hope today's operation will send warning messages to both the victims and perpetrators of this crime.
(BMcN/GK)
Sent by professional fraudsters, the letters are designed to con recipients into investing in bogus schemes such as fake lotteries, share frauds and inheritance scams. They depend on persuading victims to transfer money to the criminals based on promises of valuable goods, services, or benefits that are never delivered.
After replying to the first 'tempter' letter, victims' names are put on a 'suckers' list which is then sold to other criminals all over the world. Sucker lists are comprised of some of the most vulnerable people in society, namely the elderly and those suffering from illnesses such as dementia.
Chronic victims of scam mail end up being hounded by numerous criminal organisations and an estimated £3.5 billion is 'scammed' from UK citizens each year. Around £2.4 billion of this is believed to be as a result of mail scams.
The operation, which is being run in partnership with Royal Mail and international mail service provider Spring Global Mail, is part of a long-running police investigation into the organised criminal networks behind these scams.
The investigation began earlier this year when detectives, with the help of Trading Standards and other police forces, contacted 11 scam mail victims from across the UK who had been repeatedly targeted. These people were receiving more than 100 letters each week, the majority of which originated from outside the UK.
The 11 victims were asked to collate their post over a four-week period. This post was taken to New Scotland Yard where it was analysed. It was then sent to the Crown Prosecution Service, where a senior lawyer deemed it to be illegal under the Fraud Act 2006.
Postal marks printed on the envelopes, known as a postage paid impression (PPI), were then used to trace the post back to source. This was done with the help of Royal Mail and Spring Global Mail.
In one case, a total of 27 scams were linked to one PPI. In a bid to crack down on the criminals behind these scams, Royal Mail and Spring Global Mail agreed to alert police when the next shipment of post bearing this PPI arrived in the UK.
Today detectives visited a UK sorting office where they seized the freight and impounded it.
The letters will become exhibits in a criminal investigation, providing detectives with an opportunity to identify chronic victims of crime, and the perpetrators of that crime, and to take appropriate action.
At the same time, five return addresses or 'virtual offices' in London identified as part of the scam process were shut down and searched for criminal evidence. These addresses are privately rented mail boxes.
As well as stopping hundreds of items of scam mail from reaching vulnerable targets, detectives hope today's operation will send warning messages to both the victims and perpetrators of this crime.
(BMcN/GK)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
04 May 2004
14.4 million letters lost every year by Royal Mail
Consumer group, Postwatch, have announced that thousands of letters are delivered to the wrong address every month, but few people complain to Royal Mail. The watchdog estimates that around 14.4 million letters are ‘lost’ every year, although around 60% of these are just simply posted through the wrong letterbox.
14.4 million letters lost every year by Royal Mail
Consumer group, Postwatch, have announced that thousands of letters are delivered to the wrong address every month, but few people complain to Royal Mail. The watchdog estimates that around 14.4 million letters are ‘lost’ every year, although around 60% of these are just simply posted through the wrong letterbox.
06 June 2003
End of line for trains as Royal Mail drops rail
The Royal Mail has announced that it is the end of the line for the mail train as it unveiled plans to put in place a more efficient and flexible UK-wide distribution network by road and air.
End of line for trains as Royal Mail drops rail
The Royal Mail has announced that it is the end of the line for the mail train as it unveiled plans to put in place a more efficient and flexible UK-wide distribution network by road and air.
18 October 2004
Royal Mail urged to redouble efforts to stop mass mail scams
Royal Mail has been told to "tighten" its procedures in an effort to try to stop fraudsters using the postal system to get to consumers. The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) made the calls after statistics revealed that 67% of complaints about scams aimed at consumers relate to items delivered through the post.
Royal Mail urged to redouble efforts to stop mass mail scams
Royal Mail has been told to "tighten" its procedures in an effort to try to stop fraudsters using the postal system to get to consumers. The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) made the calls after statistics revealed that 67% of complaints about scams aimed at consumers relate to items delivered through the post.
15 February 2008
OFT In Scam Text Warning
The Office of Fair Trading has sent out thousands of fake scam text messages to 18-24-year-old mobile phone users in order to raise awareness about scams. The text message, sent out as part of Scams Awareness Month, reads: 'Urgent! U may have won £1k cash with 'A Good 2 B True'.
OFT In Scam Text Warning
The Office of Fair Trading has sent out thousands of fake scam text messages to 18-24-year-old mobile phone users in order to raise awareness about scams. The text message, sent out as part of Scams Awareness Month, reads: 'Urgent! U may have won £1k cash with 'A Good 2 B True'.
28 February 2006
OFT launches internet scam sweep
The Office of Fair Trading has launched an internet scam sweep and web chat in a bid to trap online scammers. Over the next three days, thousands of websites will be examined by consumer protection agencies from 21 countries, as well as over 20 Trading Standards departments within the UK.
OFT launches internet scam sweep
The Office of Fair Trading has launched an internet scam sweep and web chat in a bid to trap online scammers. Over the next three days, thousands of websites will be examined by consumer protection agencies from 21 countries, as well as over 20 Trading Standards departments within the UK.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherToday:It will be cloudy again throughout the day. Mainly dry in the morning, but patchy drizzle in places, becoming more widespread and persistent in the afternoon. Freshening southwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 12 °C.Tonight:Cloudy with a spell of heavy rain pushing south through late evening and the early hours, followed by some clear spells. Minimum temperature 6 °C.
