A recent event held at the Totally Wicked Stadium in partnership with St Helens Borough Council aimed to raise awareness about fraud and cybercrime among businesses of all sizes. Detectives from the Merseyside Police Economic Crime Team and Cyber Dependent Crime Unit highlighted the various tactics used by fraudsters to deceive individuals and companies, ultimately leading to devastating financial losses.

Detective Inspector Paul Gillies emphasized the importance of understanding these tactics in order to protect oneself and one’s business from falling victim to fraudulent schemes. The event featured exhibitors from a variety of sectors, shedding light on prevalent fraud themes such as investment fraud, credit card and cheque frauds, payment diversion, romance fraud, courier fraud, and text fraud.

Detective Inspector John Black discussed the risk of social media takeovers by hackers and stressed the need for businesses to thoroughly assess their cybersecurity measures, including those of their supply chain. He advised implementing strict access controls, auditing third-party permissions regularly, and ensuring vendors meet robust security standards to prevent cyberattacks.

One significant threat highlighted during the event was payment diversion fraud, where criminals intercept communications between a company and its suppliers to manipulate the transfer of funds to fraudulent accounts. Detective Inspector Gillies warned that this type of fraud can result in substantial financial losses, urging businesses to implement strict verification procedures for any changes to supplier or payment details.

To prevent falling victim to payment diversion fraud, businesses were advised to use established contact methods to confirm any changes to payment information, implement dual authorisation processes for large transactions, and regularly train staff on fraud prevention techniques. Cllr Trisha Long of St Helens Borough Council echoed the importance of investing in cybersecurity, training staff, and verifying unusual requests to safeguard businesses of all sizes against fraud and cybercrime.

Merseyside Police’s Economic Crime Team and Cyber Dependent Crime Unit continue to collaborate with local businesses and community groups to raise awareness about fraud and cybercrime prevention. Detective Inspector Black emphasized the need for collective action, with businesses, individuals, and communities working together to share information and best practices in the fight against fraud and cybercrime.

For more information on spotting tactics commonly used by fraudsters and reducing the risk of becoming a victim, individuals can visit the Stop! Think Fraud website. If someone suspects they have been a victim of fraud, they are advised to seek advice from Action Fraud and report the incident online or via phone.

Those with information about economic crime or cybercrime can provide anonymous tips to Crimestoppers. With ongoing awareness and collaboration, businesses and individuals can protect themselves from falling prey to fraud and cybercrime.

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