UK payments fraud police unit makes its mark

Criminals in the UK targeting the payments industry are not having it all their own way thanks to the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU), a specialist police unit dedicated to combating organised gangs responsible for much of the countrys card and cheque fraud.The DCPCU, which celebrated its seventh year in operation on 29 April, can lay claim to considerable success which since its inception includes: Achieving more than £315 million ($470 million) in savings from reduced fraud activity; Recovering 45,000 counterfeit cards; Recovering just under 290,000 compromised card numbers; and Securing 240 convictions on fraud related matters.The units track record over the past seven years speaks for itself, said DCPCU commanding officer Detective Chief Inspector John Folan of the City of London Police

By Stafford Thomas

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The DCPCU, which celebrated its seventh year in operation on 29 April, can lay claim to considerable success which since its inception includes:

• Achieving more than £315 million ($470 million) in savings from reduced fraud activity;

• Recovering 45,000 counterfeit cards;

• Recovering just under 290,000 compromised card numbers; and

• Securing 240 convictions on fraud related matters.

“The unit’s track record over the past seven years speaks for itself,” said DCPCU commanding officer Detective Chief Inspector John Folan of the City of London Police.

“Our work continues to seriously disrupt the organised gangs responsible for this type of crime and, when coupled with fraud prevention savings in excess of £315 million, it is clear the DCPCU has become a powerful asset in the fight against fraud.”

Over the past year, the DCPCU has had added backing from the work of the Payments Industry and Police Joint Intelligence Unit (PIPJIU), which was set up In March 2008. The PIPJIU is an enhanced intelligence unit that gathers information on fraud, which is then analysed and shared amongst banks and police throughout the country.

The PIPJIU was created out of the amalgamation of the banking industry’s Fraud Intelligence Bureau, the body that formerly distributed information between the banking industry and law enforcement throughout the UK, and the intelligence section of the DCPCU.

For the banking industry which fully funds the DCPCU to the tune of about £5 million it is clearly money well spent.

“The banking industry is delighted by the continuing success of the DCPCU. Their outstanding work provides an excellent example of how a joint public/private partnership can work together,” said Sandra Quinn, director of corporate communications at payments industry body APACS

“Not only does the unit stand on its merits as a successful model for other countries to follow, but it provides real benefit when tackling the organised criminal gangs behind financial fraud.”

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