South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, has welcomed a new Home Office campaign, highlighting the damage that can be caused by fraud across the country.

Stop! Think Fraud is backed by counter fraud experts to provide consistent, clear and robust anti-fraud advice to the public.

Fraud accounts for around 40% of all crime in England and Wales, with an estimated 3.2 million offences each year. The latest data from the Crime Survey of England and Wales shows it has reduced by 13% over the past year. The estimated cost of fraud to society is £6.8 billion in England and Wales.

Commenting on the new campaign, Dr Billings said: “Criminals have developed such convincing tactics that it’s become harder to spot cybercrime taking place in recent years. Fraudsters will appear full of reassurance and lull victims into trusting them and giving out sensitive personal information.

“This new campaign is a major milestone that will hopefully build awareness of how to be better protected from becoming a victim, and how best to prevent and report fraud.

“We should always draw breath, pause and think before giving any personal details or making any commitments online or on the phone. This is especially the case if we are sending someone details of our bank account.”

A new website providing vital guidance on how to spot fraud, stay safe and what to do if targeted can be accessed here – www.gov.uk/stopthinkfraud.