A NEW fraud protection officer has been appointed at Wiltshire Police.

PC Rachel Davies has been working in the force as a police officer for the past 20 years and has just taken on the new role aimed at cutting this crime, which is growing because of the internet.

Rachel said: “The purpose of my role is to proactively help protect our communities in Wiltshire from both online and 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 be working with officers from our community policing teams who will help me give out guidance and support about fraud protection, arrange and attend meetings and public events to boost awareness of fraud.”

Wiltshire Police's fraud department has successfully prosecuted several criminals who have been caught money laundering or defrauding members of the public. Rachel’s role, though, is specifically dedicated to proactively making people aware of fraud so they can protect themselves and their loved ones from becoming a victim.

Rachel added: “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 Rachel Davies can be contacted on 07971 922 435 or via rachel.davies@wiltshire.police.uk.

Anyone who has been a victim of fraud or suspects someone they know to have been defrauded, please contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk. If a crime is taking place there and then, please call police on 999.