BUSTED: How Blackpool gang ran £300k fraud ring from resort

A dedicated national anti-fraud squad unravelled a major operation that saw criminals launder their ill-gotten gains through businesses in the resort.

It comes as official figures show a sharp rise in cases of fraud being reported to police in Lancashire in recent months.

Preston Crown Court heard the Blackpool-based group used posed as genuine account holders to order new debit and credit cards and PINs, which they intercepted in the post.

They used the cards to make fraudulent payments, purchases and cash withdrawals – adding up to more than £300,000.

Preston Crown Court heard Harrington Okorodudu, who ran Low Cost Autos in the resort, used his business to launder fraudulent card payments.

The 44-year-old, of Ludlow Grove, Warbreck, used cards the group obtained to pay fines registered to vehicles associated with his company and also for council tax.

He was jailed for three years and six months for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

Cards were also used to make repeated high value purchases through a mobile phone business, Gadget Trader, run by Sunday Wilson, of Crossland Road, Hawes Side.

The 41-year-old was jailed for three years for two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

The fraud was spotted by Lloyds Bank and Barclays and referred to the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU), a specialist unit made up of officers from the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police.

When detectives investigated the gang’s activities, they found Santander and TSB had also been targeted.

Two other gang members, Prince Ekuruema and Igho Emaike, were also sentenced at Preston Crown Court for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

Ekuruema, 37, of Crossfield Road, Skelmersdale, was jailed for six months, while Emaike, 41, of Belmont Avenue, Blackpool, was given a three-month term suspended for 12 months and put on a curfew between 8pm and 6am.

Four men were found not guilty. Another member of the group pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months behind bars at Preston’s Sessions Court at an earlier hearing.

Det Con David Sutton, of the DCPCU, said: “This was a complex investigation involving an organised crime group in the North West of England.

“The DCPCU will seek to apprehend offenders targeting the banking industry in scams like this.”

The DCPCU, which is sponsored by the banking industry and UK Finance, has helped cut fraud by an estimated £486m since it was set up in April 2002.

A 15 per cent rise in fraud offences in Lancashire

More than 4,000 frauds were reported to Lancashire Police in a single year.

The county has seen a 15 per cent rise in such cases in the 12 months up to March this year.

The 4,532 offences logged in Lancashire was second only to Greater Manchester in the North West.

However, those living in the county are still among the safest in the country from fraudsters, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics.

There were three offences reported for every 100,000 residents over the 12-month period - only four forces had a lower rate of fraud.

Meanwhile, separate figures show frauds involving cheques, plastic card or online banking are the most common in Lancashire, closely followed by online shopping scams.

In the last five months, those scams combined make up almost 800 of the cases reported to Action Fraud.

Other common cases are scammers charging people to ‘fix’ made-up computer problems (302 cases reported), and using stolen identities to open accounts (225).

How to stay safe from scammers

Action Fraud provides the following tips to people concerned about becoming a victim of fraud:

*Do not give any personal information – name, address, bank details, email or phone number – to organisations or people before verifying their credentials.

* Many frauds start with a phishing email. Remember that banks and financial institutions will not send you an email asking you to click on a link and confirm your bank details. Do not trust such emails, even if they look genuine. You can always call your bank using the phone number on a genuine piece of correspondence to check if you’re not sure.

* Destroy and preferably shred receipts with your card details on and post with your name and address on.

* Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed. Ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security notification and monitoring.

* Sign-up to Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code whenever you are given the option while shopping online. This involves you registering a password with your card company and adds an additional layer of security to online transactions with signed-up retailers.

* If you receive bills, invoices or receipts for things you haven’t bought, or financial institutions you don’t normally deal with contact you about outstanding debts, take action. Your identity may have been stolen.

* You should regularly get a copy of your credit file and check it for entries you don’t recognise.

* Be extremely wary of post, phone calls or emails offering you business deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

* If you have been a victim of fraud, be aware of fraud recovery fraud. This is when fraudsters pretend to be a lawyer or a law enforcement officer and tell you they can help you recover the money you’ve already lost.

* If you need advice about fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. To report a fraud, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.