NFIB cracks ticketing fraud code

City of London Police is hailing the crime cutting powers of the most advanced police intelligence system in the world after it helped break-up a ticketing fraud exploiting sporting and musical events.

Acting on information from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) officers arrested three men and one woman, aged 28, 42, 48 and 60, at addresses across London and Waltham Abbey on suspicion of fraud by false representation. The activity follows an investigation into a criminal gang that set up worldwidetickets.com, and later gigsport.com, to sell tickets for the Reading Festival and concerts including the Black Eyed Peas and Michael Buble.

The NFIB is studying complaints from 265 victims who are estimated to have lost a total of £40,000 on non-existent tickets, with one woman flying from South Africa to the UK having paid £1,800 for three Centre Court Wimbledon tickets.

The reports were sent by Trading Standards and Action Fraud www.actionfraud.org.uk (opens in a new window), which is the national body set up by the National Fraud Authority to receive reports of fraud from the public and small businesses.

Today's activity, codenamed Operation Cyborg, was the first NFIB-led operation targeting serial fraudsters and organised crime groups. The investigation is part of the Bureau’s wider activity against a crime that cost the UK £30 billion last year. For more information about the NFIB go to www.nfib.police.uk (opens in a new window).

The Head of Economic Crime at the City of London Police, Det Chief Supt Steve Head, said:

“Today we saw how the NFIB is going to change the rules of engagement in favour of all those who are working to fight fraud. Without the Bureau many more people could have fell victim to a criminal gang who we believe to have already conned hundreds of people into paying large sums of money for non-existent tickets.I now look forward to police forces across the country using NFIB intelligence to track down the fraudsters who are destroying lives, damaging businesses and costing the UK economy billions of pounds.”

The NFIB will also be using its intelligence to provide national and regional fraud alerts and raise public awareness of fraud hotspots around the country.
More public and private sector bodies are now being asked to sign-up to the project, share their fraud data and help the NFIB to cut crime.

Det Ch Supt Head added:

“The NFIB provides the opportunity for the country to work together to turn the tables on fraudsters and make them the targets. That we have reached this point is a tribute to the support of the Home Office and our data providers. It is now up to all of us to ensure the NFIB goes from strength to strength and becomes an integral part of the efforts to build a society more resistant to fraud.”

Bernard Herdan, CEO of the National Fraud Authority, said:

“A case like this shows the importance of the public reporting fraud and how this contributes to an effective enforcement response. We urge anyone who has lost money to any type of fraud to contact Action Fraud so the police can bring more criminals to justice.”

For more information about the NFIB visit www.nfib.police.uk (opens in a new window). If you would like to report a fraud go to the Action Fraud website (opens in a new window) or call 0300 123 2040.

For further information please contact City of London Police Press Office on 020 7601 2220, or email media@cityoflondon.police.uk.