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| Shildon: An unlikely crime capital | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Fiona Trott BBC News | By Fiona Trott BBC News |
| Residents in Shildon would tell you it is known for its locomotion museum - not its criminal activity. | Residents in Shildon would tell you it is known for its locomotion museum - not its criminal activity. |
| So it comes as a surprise to many to find the County Durham town labelled one of the UK's hotspots for internet credit card fraud. | So it comes as a surprise to many to find the County Durham town labelled one of the UK's hotspots for internet credit card fraud. |
| The high street is filled with an older generation of shoppers, not likely looking candidates for some of the criminals who steal personal details and fraudulently spend half a billion pounds a year online. | The high street is filled with an older generation of shoppers, not likely looking candidates for some of the criminals who steal personal details and fraudulently spend half a billion pounds a year online. |
| Shildon residents know it for its railway museum not its online fraud | Shildon residents know it for its railway museum not its online fraud |
| But national online screening company The Third Man has produced a map of where fraudsters are supposed to be operating and Shildon's postcode, DL4, is glowing red. | But national online screening company The Third Man has produced a map of where fraudsters are supposed to be operating and Shildon's postcode, DL4, is glowing red. |
| Elsewhere, Woolwich in south east London was the worst town in terms of money, with £2.6 million of goods bought fraudulently last year. | Elsewhere, Woolwich in south east London was the worst town in terms of money, with £2.6 million of goods bought fraudulently last year. |
| Andrew Goodwill, from The Third Man, explained why these hotspots exist: "The problem is there's not a common approach to tackling this kind of crime. | Andrew Goodwill, from The Third Man, explained why these hotspots exist: "The problem is there's not a common approach to tackling this kind of crime. |
| "What we need in this country is for all the banks and private commercial companies to talk to the police. Then we might see some action." | "What we need in this country is for all the banks and private commercial companies to talk to the police. Then we might see some action." |
| Fake adddress | Fake adddress |
| So what do the fraudsters buy? It appears to be anything from knitting patterns to diamond rings, perfume to clothes. Anything that can be sold on for cash. | So what do the fraudsters buy? It appears to be anything from knitting patterns to diamond rings, perfume to clothes. Anything that can be sold on for cash. |
| ONLINE FRAUD Mapping UK online fraud Most computers will open this document automatically, but you might need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | |
| But there are also things they need for themselves, like flights and computers to keep their underworld operations going, and most bizarrely perhaps, one of the first things they buy is a bed. | But there are also things they need for themselves, like flights and computers to keep their underworld operations going, and most bizarrely perhaps, one of the first things they buy is a bed. |
| Experts say that is because many of these criminals arrive from abroad and are starting from scratch. | Experts say that is because many of these criminals arrive from abroad and are starting from scratch. |
| Debbie Jones, from Bedworld in Castleford, West Yorkshire, told the BBC what they go for: "Leather frames, expensive mattresses. | Debbie Jones, from Bedworld in Castleford, West Yorkshire, told the BBC what they go for: "Leather frames, expensive mattresses. |
| "Also anything we can deliver the next day, because of course they'll be out of there within a few hours. | "Also anything we can deliver the next day, because of course they'll be out of there within a few hours. |
| "Once, somebody ordered goods online for about £800. We looked into it and realised it was a fake address. The fraudsters got away with the goods and also the money." | "Once, somebody ordered goods online for about £800. We looked into it and realised it was a fake address. The fraudsters got away with the goods and also the money." |
| Bedworld was losing so much through online fraud that it was forced to take on two members of staff to check every single transaction. | Bedworld was losing so much through online fraud that it was forced to take on two members of staff to check every single transaction. |
| Slow process | Slow process |
| Back in County Durham, the head of the local police fraud squad, Det Insp Geoff Smith, said the hotspot map was useful. | Back in County Durham, the head of the local police fraud squad, Det Insp Geoff Smith, said the hotspot map was useful. |
| "It gives us a picture to see what's happening, so that we can detect it," he said. | "It gives us a picture to see what's happening, so that we can detect it," he said. |
| "The Home Office changed the reporting procedures, so now people have to report credit card fraud to the banks first, so it takes a long time for the information to get through to us. | "The Home Office changed the reporting procedures, so now people have to report credit card fraud to the banks first, so it takes a long time for the information to get through to us. |
| "Internet fraud is the second [most] major crime in the country after drug trafficking and more needs to be done." | "Internet fraud is the second [most] major crime in the country after drug trafficking and more needs to be done." |
| Det Insp Smith also believes some people in Shildon may be being used only for their address - duped by criminals from abroad into accepting deliveries of stolen goods, perhaps in an online chat room. | Det Insp Smith also believes some people in Shildon may be being used only for their address - duped by criminals from abroad into accepting deliveries of stolen goods, perhaps in an online chat room. |