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Teenager arrested in Great Barr over alleged international £1 million card scam

A teenager has been arrested in Great Barr on suspicion of being part of an alleged cross-continental £1-million card fraud gang.

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Officers from the West Midlands Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) swooped on the home alongside simultaneous raids in Finland, Spain and Canada.

An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud and cybercrime offences and was bailed until a date in January.

It is claimed websites have been compromised and accounts taken over in the alleged card scam.

West Midlands Police said the investigation aims to dismantle an alleged organised crime group believed to have harvested details from more than 6,000 credit cards which have been used to attack some 170 e-merchants.

It is believed the stolen card details have been used to carry out transactions topping £1-million before being sold on to other crime networks.

In total, 15 people were arrested as part of the cross-continental day of action.

Detective Inspector Rob Harris, from ROCU, said: "This is a wide-reaching investigation – one that was launched back in January this year – involving Europol, authorities on the continent, and the Royal

Canadian Mounted Police.

"We've played our part by executing warrants at addresses in the West Midlands suspected of being linked to the card scam investigation and cybercrime offences that's seen websites compromised and accounts taken over.

"Computer equipment and other digital devices have been seized from the properties and these will be forensically examined."

A 15-year-old male and 16-year-old male have also spoken to by officers.

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