Four people have been charged after an Aberdeen man was defrauded of more than £10,000.
Police officers from across the UK – working with the north-east’s cyber crime unit – executed search warrants between Tuesday and Thursday this week.
They later arrested and charged the four men.
Two of the men have been charged with fraud and money laundering. Another two men have been arrested and charged and are subject to a report to the Procurator Fiscal.
It is the second set of cybercrime charges in a matter of days for the north-east based officers.
A police spokesman said: “Four people have been reported following a 38-year-old man being defrauded of a five-figure sum of money in Aberdeen.
“Between Tuesday 21 and Thursday, June 23, north east division’s cyber enabled crime team, assisted by South Yorkshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands constabularies, executed four search warrants in England with two men aged 19 and 40 arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering.
“Additionally, two further men aged 20, were also arrested and charged and are subject of a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with this matter.”
‘We aim to disrupt’
Encouraging anyone who is a victim of cyber crime to report it to police, Detective Inspector Martyn Thomson of the north east divisional cyber enabled crime team, said: “We treat all reports of cyber-enabled fraud with the utmost seriousness and use all resources at our disposal to tackle this issue.
“Organised crime groups go to great lengths to manipulate and exploit the most vulnerable within our communities by using any means necessary, however, working with law enforcement partners across the UK we aim to disrupt such individuals to protect our communities.
“I would urge anyone who thinks that they may have been the victim of fraud to contact their bank or financial provider and to report the matter to police on 101.”
It is the second time this month cyber criminals operating in the north east have been reported to the procurator fiscal.
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