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Police warn Harrogate residents of online cryptocurrency scam

Wednesday, 5 June 2024 12:22

A spike in cryptocurrency scams this month has alerted police.

Police have warned Harrogate district residents of a new online scam.

Officers have reported a spike in crypto scams - and a suspected total of £105,000 has been stolen from 15 victims in May alone.

Each victim of the scam had agreed to pay advance fees with the promise of something valuable in return.

In some cases, there have been a series of further fees demanded or the fraudster will simply disappear, leaving victims thousands of pounds out of pocket.

DI Janine Mitchell, Head of Economic Crime, said:

"This is clearly a very worrying trend and the crimes are having a deep impact on the victims who are mostly aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

"Please don’t ever feel pressured into anything that you are not sure of and always remember the wise old saying, ‘if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is’."

The North Yorkshire Police are urging people to follow the 'Take Five to Stop Fraud advice' to decrease the amount of people falling for such scams.

STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe
CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? It’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you
PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, you can report it to the Action Fraud team via their website www.actionfraud.police.uk or call them at 0300 123 2040.

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