|
Sep 11, 2006
London has been cited as the British city with
the largest number of fraudulent transactions in 2005, according to the latest
figures for Cardholder Not Present (CNP) fraud from the organization Early
Warning. Figures from Early Warning also indicate that Manchester
and Kilmarnock copped the 2nd and 3rd
places in this annual study on credit card hotspots. In each of these areas
there were significantly higher numbers of fraudulent credit card purchases
than anywhere else in the UK,
the organization explained.
Early Warning has
produced a map that identifies the postcode areas from which the fraudsters
operate. It is done by tracking the delivery addresses for fraudulently
obtained goods – typically accommodation addresses and ‘dead letter boxes’.
While Greater London as a whole beats the rest of the UK for CNP fraud, the problem is particularly
serious in certain areas within London.
For example, in certain parts of Thamesmead there are instances where whole
streets are involved in this crime. According to Early Warning, the areas with
the biggest fraud problems are the Central London postcodes, together with
Romford and Ilford in Essex, and Twickenham in
Middlesex.
Outside London,
cities and towns where CNP fraud is on the increase and which look set to make
it into the top 10 hotspots next year include Bournemouth, Northampton,
Portsmouth and Stockport. With the growth of Internet shopping and trading, the
opportunities for CNP fraud are growing constantly, with last year’s figures
reaching £183.2 million.
|
