Students Warned of Mobile Phone Fraud | |||||
As police arrest 23 people at locations including Wandsworth
University students are being warned to be extra careful or they could run up large telephone debts in a suspected mobile phone fraud. The National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) has launched an investigation into a suspected mobile phone fraud targeting students at universities across the UK. The unit has arrested 23 people in connection with the investigation on suspicion of fraud related offences at addresses around the south east, including Hammersmith and Fulham. It says 20 of those arrested are men, three are women, and all are aged between 19 and 29 years old. All have been bailed to return on various dates from November 2014 to February 2015 pending further enquiries. University students across the country have been offered cash incentives to entice them into registering for personal mobile phone contracts which are then used for the benefit of a private company. Invariably the student would receive a high value smart phone on a lengthy network contract, but then send on the phone and SIM card to the private company for a small cash incentive and the promise of a modest monthly income. However, the students involved are now running up significant debts. It is believed that students may have divulged significant detail about their bank accounts, credit or debit cards and personal circumstances, making them susceptible to identity fraud. The NMPCU has written to a number of UK universities, asking them to highlight the issue to students and urging them to stay vigilant. The major UK mobile phone networks and other industry partners have been made aware of the investigation to best support the affected students. Detective Inspector Louise Shea, of the NMPCU, who is leading the operation, said: She continued: Protect yourself: * Inform your bank or building society as soon as possible. Prevent yourself becoming a victim: * Never divulge private information data in response to a personal approach, email, text, letter or phone call unless you are certain that the request is from a reliable source. If you suspect you or a family member has been effected by this, you should email the NMPCU providing your contact details, your registered university and brief details of the issue. In an emergency, you should always phone 999 for an immediate response if an incident is happening now or if anyone is in immediate danger. For advice on how to protect yourself from a fraud of this kind, please call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. 20th August 2014 |