Fraud on the RISE

Crimes of fraud are on the increase in Barbados, with at least one case heading to the law courts each week.

Making this disclosure, Royal Barbados Police Force Criminal Investigations Division’s Assistant Superintendent, Jefferson Clarke, outlined that while cheque fraud remained a big issue in the island, new facets were creeping in due to technological advancements.

“We are seeing a lot more sophistication though where people are actually using information from legitimate businesses and making cheques that purport to be from that business place and we are seeing large cheques sometimes at over $100 000 and that is something that is new. Before you would see more dishonoured cheques where sometimes persons do not have enough funds in their account and they are doing business and the cheque is dishonoured. Now we are seeing persons forging cheques and making cheques on their own personal computers and laptops and that is a new thing,” he said.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a CreditInfo seminar at the Accra Beach Hotel yesterday morning, he outlined that individuals were also creating fake documents to gain access to loans.

“We are also seeing people creating fraudulent documents saying that they are working at a particular place and working for this type of salary and the information is then used at a financial institution to get loans,” Clarke detailed.

The officer said that credit card fraud is occurring on a regular basis as well and that there now is a growing situation of persons creating and using counterfeit local currency.

“I would say that in recent times we are seeing a lot more sophistication in the types of fraud that is reported to us,” he stressed.

Clarke noted however that while suspects of such crimes are arrested and charged every week, challenges are created due to the length of time before these matters are heard in court.

“We have the creeping problem within the court system where matters are actually adjudicated. So there are a number of things that would actually impact on convictions within the court system,” he said.
(JMB)