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Jockeys urged to avoid High Street banks by PJA after frauds | Jockeys urged to avoid High Street banks by PJA after frauds |
(about 17 hours later) | |
Jockeys in the UK have been advised to move their money out of High Street banks following a string of frauds. | |
The Professional Jockeys Association issued the warning after saying an estimated £200,000 had been stolen from about 30 jockeys since 2014. | |
The money had been withdrawn over the counter from cashiers, possibly using fraudulent documents, the body added. | The money had been withdrawn over the counter from cashiers, possibly using fraudulent documents, the body added. |
West Midlands Police said a 38-year-old man was under investigation and inquiries were still ongoing. | |
The force is overseeing the investigation into the thefts. | |
'Unwilling and incapable' | |
The PJA said the crimes dated back to 2014, when about £50,000 was reportedly stolen from the bank accounts of several riders. | |
The body - which represents British jockeys - said there had been another spate of the crimes later that year, and that frauds had been committed "on and off" since then. | The body - which represents British jockeys - said there had been another spate of the crimes later that year, and that frauds had been committed "on and off" since then. |
It said banks were "unwilling and incapable" of preventing the frauds. | |
It did not name any of the jockeys involved but said they included some high-profile riders and that some horseracing trainers have also fallen victim. | It did not name any of the jockeys involved but said they included some high-profile riders and that some horseracing trainers have also fallen victim. |
The advice has been backed by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the sport's governing body, it added. | |
PJA chief executive Paul Struthers told the BBC that in all the cases money - often starting at about £800 - had been withdrawn by someone walking into a branch of a High Street bank and managing to take out cash over the counter. | PJA chief executive Paul Struthers told the BBC that in all the cases money - often starting at about £800 - had been withdrawn by someone walking into a branch of a High Street bank and managing to take out cash over the counter. |
He said the frauds had been committed in most of the major banks - often a long way from the home of the jockey - and in a number of different locations. | He said the frauds had been committed in most of the major banks - often a long way from the home of the jockey - and in a number of different locations. |
'Perplexing' | |
Mr Struthers said the body was at a loss to understand how the fraudsters were managing to get the personal details of the jockeys. | Mr Struthers said the body was at a loss to understand how the fraudsters were managing to get the personal details of the jockeys. |
He said he suspected details had been leaked "from somewhere", but did not know where. | He said he suspected details had been leaked "from somewhere", but did not know where. |
He said jockeys had been given the stolen money back, but criticised the banks for failing to prevent the frauds in the first place. | He said jockeys had been given the stolen money back, but criticised the banks for failing to prevent the frauds in the first place. |
As a result, the PJA's latest newsletter told jockeys the "only way to prevent the frauds from continuing is to move their current account banking off the High Street". | As a result, the PJA's latest newsletter told jockeys the "only way to prevent the frauds from continuing is to move their current account banking off the High Street". |
Mr Struthers said: "The question we are struggling to understand is how they know where each of the jockeys bank and how they are getting access to the account. | Mr Struthers said: "The question we are struggling to understand is how they know where each of the jockeys bank and how they are getting access to the account. |
"That is what is perplexing us." | "That is what is perplexing us." |
He added: "It has just got to the stage now where between us and the BHA we have realised that a combination of the incompetence or the unwillingness of the banks to deal with it means the only advice we can give jockeys is to get off the High Street." | He added: "It has just got to the stage now where between us and the BHA we have realised that a combination of the incompetence or the unwillingness of the banks to deal with it means the only advice we can give jockeys is to get off the High Street." |