Dedicated Fraud Protection Officer for Wiltshire

Wiltshire Police has a new Fraud Protection Officer whose task is to help people avoid falling prey to a growing criminal scourge.

PC Rachel Davies has been an officer with the force for the past 20 years and has just taken on the new role aimed at reducing this type of crime, which is growing primarily due to the popularity of the internet. 
PC Davies said:  “The purpose of my role is to proactively help protect our communities in Wiltshire from both online and so-called traditional fraud. 
“This includes making people aware - publicising the latest scams, advising on how to avoid being defrauded in the first place and how to report it if people are unlucky to have been conned.
“I will also be working with officers from our Community Policing Teams who will help me give out guidance and support about fraud protection as well as arranging and attending meetings and public events to boost awareness of fraud.”
Wiltshire Police has always had a Fraud Department and over the years has successfully prosecuted several criminals who have been caught money-laundering or defrauding members of the public. PC Davies' role, though, is specifically dedicated to proactively making people aware of fraud so they can protect themselves and their loved ones and in return don’t become a victim of the crime in the first place.
She added said: “Fraud isn’t going away, if anything the fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated and the frauds more intricate.  That’s why people need to be mindful.  If something appears too good to be true it’s wise to be suspicious of it and question it.  I’m here to help people become more aware and hopefully together we can fight fraud.” 
More information about the different types of fraud can be found on the Wiltshire Police website: wiltshire.police.uk 
PC Davies can be contacted on 07971 922 435  or via [email protected]
Anyone who has been a victim of fraud, or who suspects someone they know to have been defrauded, is asked to contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.  If a crime is taking place there and then, the police should be called on 999. ?