New bank scheme 'has prevented fraud worth £1.5m'

A new banking scheme claims to have stopped people being conned out of more than £1.5m in its first five months.

The protocol involves bank staff alerting police to potential victims of fraud.

It kicks in if someone asks to withdraw or transfer an amount of money which appears unusual to a bank worker.

Police said they had responded to about 250 calls and made a number of arrests since the scheme was introduced in March.

The new protocol was developed by the finance industry, police and trading standards officials.

Det Supt Kenny Thomson said: "Police Scotland fully supports this scheme and will continue to work with partner agencies to protect the people in our society from financial crime.

"The results for the first five months of its operation highlight the impact of the scheme."

UK Finance, which represents the banking and financial services sector, said the joined-up approach was crucial to staying one step ahead of fraudsters.

Katy Worobec, managing director of economic crime at UK Finance, said: "Fraud can have a devastating impact on victims and is often targeted at the most vulnerable people in society, which is why we must work together to prevent it.

"The banking protocol shows how close co-operation between the industry and law enforcement can help to protect victims and crack down on fraudsters."