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Merseyside Police has joined forces across the country in Operation Henhouse, a month-long national intensification period targeting fraudsters and protecting vulnerable members of the community.
The operation sees officers tracking down offenders and working to seize criminal assets through court orders, sending a clear message that fraud will not be tolerated in Merseyside.
“The vast majority of fraud we investigate is now cyber-enabled, with criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods. Our team is working tirelessly to identify these offenders and bring them to justice while helping our communities protect themselves from falling victim.”
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Dalton of the Economic Crime Team at Merseyside Police.
The national operation is now in its fourth year. So far, during this February’s activity in Merseyside, detectives have interviewed eight suspects as part of ongoing investigations into a variety of fraud-related offences and charged three others.
Fifty-one cash seizures have also been made, totalling £216,345, and seizures and forfeiture orders of various assets have been made, including £900,000 of high-value watches.
Some specific types of fraud have become prevalent across Merseyside in recent months. Online shopping fraud, with criminals typically creating fake websites that appear genuine but never deliver goods. The force advises residents to research unfamiliar retailers thoroughly and use secure payment methods rather than bank transfers.
Courier fraud continues to target vulnerable residents, with fraudsters posing as police officers or bank officials claiming they need to collect cards or cash. “We want to be clear – no police officer or bank official will ever ask you to withdraw money or hand over cards to a courier. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately,” said Detective Chief Inspector Dalton.
Romance fraud has also emerged as a significant concern, with criminals building relationships online before requesting money for supposed emergencies. Residents are urged to never send money to someone they haven’t met in person, and to be wary of anyone asking to keep the relationship secret.
The force strongly recommends maintaining unique passwords of at least three random words for every online account and enabling two-step verification (2SV) wherever possible, which will make it significantly harder for criminals to gain access to personal information.
Operation Henhouse is a National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) initiative managed in partnership with the City of London Police, which leads nationally on tackling economic crime, and provides funding to allow forces to undertake additional operational activity against fraudsters. The activity supports the national Stop! Think Fraud campaign.
To help reduce their risk of becoming a fraud victim, the public can visit the Stop! Think Fraud website for comprehensive guidance and support.
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