Over £1million has been refunded to victims of fraud in the county thanks to North Yorkshire Police’s Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer.
Rachel Graham works in the force’s Economic Crime Unit where her role is to support and help protect the most vulnerable victims of fraud.
Part of her role is to enable victims to obtain reimbursement from their bank after losing money to fraudsters.
Over the past financial year, she has helped victims recover £1,025,766 - and prevented £81,137 from being handed over to fraudsters in the first place.
The amounts reimbursed to victims range from £550 to £360,000.
Rachel also works with victims to empower them and prevent them falling prey to fraudsters again.
A former Detective Constable of 30 years, including 17 years spent investigating fraud in Cleveland Police’s Economic Crime Unit, Rachel joined North Yorkshire Police in March last year.
She said:
“Having investigated fraud for most of my career, nothing motivates me more when I see the devastation it causes when someone loses their life-savings to wicked, organised criminals.
“Some of them are very convincing and prey on older and vulnerable people, taking advantage of their trusting nature. In many cases the victims have not reported the frauds to their bank.
“My job is to ensure the victim has done everything they can to get their money back.
“In some cases, it could be advising and supporting their family about how to obtain compensation, or it could be writing to financial institutions on their behalf, sometimes I advise officers and PCSOs who visit fraud victims on what can be done.
“It’s not always possible, but I will do everything I can to ensure all possible routes are taken to obtain reimbursement for their loss.
She added:
“It’s a team effort and I would not be able to do it without the rest of our team including our amazing fraud ambassadors, analysts, police staff assessors/investigators and detectives who are all equally as passionate about stamping out fraud as I am.
“Working together we are able to make a massive difference."
Have you been a victim of fraud? North Yorkshire Police’s website has lost of information and advice: www.northyorkshire.police.uk/fraud
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