Fraud has always been a major problem but the emergence of the internet, e-mail and electronic banking has given potential fraudsters a new way to get hold of your money.

Internet fraud includes: internet auction fraud, non-delivery of merchandise, credit card fraud, investment fraud and international letter fraud.

 

Internet auction fraud
You should think long and hard about buying or selling at internet auctions and under no circumstances send cash or goods to foreign countries where you only have limited knowledge of your trading partner.

 

Non-delivery of merchandise
If you buy from foreign mail-order vendors via the internet please remember that UK consumer legislation does not apply, in short you do not have any statutory rights!

 

Credit card fraud
Credit cards represent the safest method of conducting business over the internet. However be careful and try to learn as much as possible about the business to whom you disclose card details. Check your statements thoroughly.

 

Investment fraud
Investing abroad routinely entails higher degrees of risk and doing so over the internet merely increases the risks. Remember if a proposition sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

 

International letter fraud 
You have probably heard about international letter frauds which have been prevalent for many years. We have been very successful at stopping these letters from entering the country, so successful in fact that the offenders have now switched to e-mail as their preferred method of contact. Be very careful about invitations to send money abroad in order to collect an alleged inheritance or lottery prize and do not give details of your bank accounts to third parties.

 

If you want to report an internet fraud crime or are concerned about fraud you can contact us on 0845 456 4567.