Northumbria Police launch campaign to tackle financial exploitation crime trend targeting teenagers

Officers have set up a campaign to warn young people about the dangers of money launderers and fraudsters who are targeting teenagers across the North East.
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The new campaign has been launched by Northumbria Police and North East Regional Special Operations Unit (NERSOU) after officers identified an emerging crime trend across the country.

One key area that was identified was ‘money muling’ - a process which sees young adults coerced in to handing over their bank details to criminals who then launder cash through these accounts so they are harder to trace.

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The Force say people that are recruited as money mules can be threatened with violence or physically attacked if they do not continue to let their account be used to transfer money.

Northumbria Police have launched the new campaign.Northumbria Police have launched the new campaign.
Northumbria Police have launched the new campaign.
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As part of the campaign, officers from the Safeguarding department have developed educational sessions aimed at teenagers to help them understand the dangers and consequences of getting involved in money muling – which can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Community Adviser CV Bone, from Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department, said: “These sessions are aimed at teenagers aged 16 and above utilising information received from crime cases to highlight the risks and what could happen if you get involved.

“Banks have sophisticated systems in place to detect suspicious money moving across accounts and regularly link in with police to report any concerns.

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“Our activity supports the ‘don’t be fooled’ campaign run by UK finance and Cifas which runs all year round to help safeguard the public and communities and to ensure anyone participating in financial exploitation of any kind sees a swift and robust policing response.”

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