DROITWICH MP Nigel Huddleston has welcomed the launch of the ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ campaign.
The initiative aims to crackdown on fraudsters across the country through the introduction of tough anti-fraud messaging, and a focus on raising public awareness on the dangers of fraud and how to avoid it.
The campaign works in partnership with law enforcement, as well as some of the most prominent tech and banking organisations including Google, Barclays and HSBC.
It builds on the government’s long term fraud strategy committing to 52 actions to cut fraud by 10 per cent by the end of this Parliament.
Official data shows the number of fraud and computer misuse incidents in West Mercia have decreased by 12.7 per cent, dropping from 15,613 incidents to 13,627 in the last year, and falling by 13 per cent across England and Wales as a whole.
In response to the announcement, Mr Huddleston said: “As a local MP, I am made aware of fraud cases all too often.
“Only recently did I hear the story of a victim in my constituency who lost thousands of pounds to fraud; hard-earned money that was stolen by ruthless criminals.
“I therefore welcome the Government’s new ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ campaign, which will not only make committing fraud more difficult but also raise public awareness on fraud safety, allowing people to defend themselves and others. Fraud is an awful blight on our society and can ruin lives, and we must end it.”
His colleague Tom Tugendhat, the Minister for Security, added:
“Fraud ruins lives. Following this advice will give people the best tips to stop fraudsters from stealing their hard-earned cash and point them towards all the help and information on offer.”
“This new campaign will share the details we all need to defend ourselves and our friends.”
For more on the initiative, visit: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/ .
