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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Small town 'online crime hotspot' | Small town 'online crime hotspot' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Shildon in County Durham has been labelled an internet crime hotspot with a higher percentage of fraudulent purchases than anywhere else in the UK. | Shildon in County Durham has been labelled an internet crime hotspot with a higher percentage of fraudulent purchases than anywhere else in the UK. |
| Last year, 24% of all internet purchases there were made using stolen credit card details, according to security company The Third Man. | |
| Durham Police say investigations are being hampered because people are told to report fraud to their banks first. | Durham Police say investigations are being hampered because people are told to report fraud to their banks first. |
| South-east London saw the most money lost to fraud in 2008 - about £16m. | South-east London saw the most money lost to fraud in 2008 - about £16m. |
| In total, The Third Man, which represents 20% of UK companies operating online, estimates that online fraudsters stole half a billion pounds-worth of goods last year. | In total, The Third Man, which represents 20% of UK companies operating online, estimates that online fraudsters stole half a billion pounds-worth of goods last year. |
| Beds | Beds |
| The Third Man has produced a map showing the prevalence of online fraud by postcode across the UK. | The Third Man has produced a map showing the prevalence of online fraud by postcode across the UK. |
| Shildon, in the DL area, is a former industrial town with a population of 10,000, and police believe that just one or two people may be responsible for the crime wave. | Shildon, in the DL area, is a former industrial town with a population of 10,000, and police believe that just one or two people may be responsible for the crime wave. |
| There's a lack of policing, mainly because it's a difficult crime to investigate Andrew GoodwillThe Third Man Shildon: An unlikely crime capital | There's a lack of policing, mainly because it's a difficult crime to investigate Andrew GoodwillThe Third Man Shildon: An unlikely crime capital |
| Det Inspector Geoff Smith, from Durham Police, said: "We had a lady not far from here [Shildon] that was duped into receiving a lot of stolen goods - vanloads of camcorders, digital cameras. | Det Inspector Geoff Smith, from Durham Police, said: "We had a lady not far from here [Shildon] that was duped into receiving a lot of stolen goods - vanloads of camcorders, digital cameras. |
| "She had to send them off to criminals in Nigeria, so I'm not surprised by today's figures." | "She had to send them off to criminals in Nigeria, so I'm not surprised by today's figures." |
| Police cite televisions and laptop computers as the most commonly stolen items, but the BBC's Fiona Trott said beds were also a favourite target. | Police cite televisions and laptop computers as the most commonly stolen items, but the BBC's Fiona Trott said beds were also a favourite target. |
| Experts believe many fraudsters come to the UK from abroad and a bed is the first thing they need when they arrive, our correspondent said. | Experts believe many fraudsters come to the UK from abroad and a bed is the first thing they need when they arrive, our correspondent said. |
| Many other fraud hotspots are in postcodes with big cities, including Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester. | Many other fraud hotspots are in postcodes with big cities, including Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester. |
| Andrew Goodwill, from The Third Man, said more must be done to tackle the issue. | Andrew Goodwill, from The Third Man, said more must be done to tackle the issue. |
| "The problem's been getting worse year on year and there's a lack of policing, mainly because it's a difficult crime to investigate." | "The problem's been getting worse year on year and there's a lack of policing, mainly because it's a difficult crime to investigate." |