Police investigate advance fee frauds

6th June 2013

Police would like to remind members of the public to remain vigilant against fraudulent activities, in particular advance fee fraud.

Advance fee fraud is when a person is asked to provide payment in advance of promised wealth, gifts, prizes or employment. Contact can be by mail, phone, fax or email.
The fraudsters typically target individuals via telephone claiming to be from the Ministry for Justice, the Government, Office of Fair Trading, or a loan company.

Examples of this type of ‘cold calling' are:

· A financial company providing a loan requiring an administration fee

· The recipient has won a sum of money in a lottery

· An insurance policy has been discovered in the recipient's name

· Time share refunds

· Payment protection insurance refunds

· Bank charges refund

To receive the financial reward the victim is required pay an administrative fee via an electronic money service such as Western Union, Moneygram or exchange Ukash voucher numbers to receive the amount the fraudster's claim to hold. The money is redeemed by the fraudster and the promised reward never received by the victim.

Anybody with any information is urged to contact Police Scotland immediately on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.