Tamworth fraud hot spots revealed as police prepare to host fraud summit with service station operators

Oxley police have tallied the numbers in a major crime review, the 2018-2019 figures revealing service stations were the key spots where the majority of fraud offending occured.

Oxley Detective Acting Inspector Jason Darcy said the figures showed stolen credit cards and bank cards were being used at those locations to obtain goods unlawfully.

"Thieves are using stolen cards, using payWave and tap-and-go technology, a lot of the times in multiple attempts to get food, drinks, fuel, other goods, in a matter of moments," he told the Leader.

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"Thieves are exploiting these businesses because it has become easier for this criminal activity to occur."

Fraud rates have spiked dramatically in recent years due to the ease of payWave or tap-and-go technology, allowing thieves to buy goods in multiple transactions under $100 without needing to sign, enter a pin or show any ID.

"The issue has been identified through a crime review of fraud hotspots," Detective Darcy said.

"The figures show service stations are the key locations where fraud and dishonesty offences have occurred in Tamworth.

"It's people wearing hoodies, or hooded jumpers, wearing disguises or sunglasses to mask their identity on CCTV and prevent detection."

Police are set to host a fraud summit; Detective Darcy said the face-to-face workshop would help employers and their staff to make their work safer.

"We are asking all operators of these service stations to come and meet with us, so we can give them strategies to combat the fraud offending, make it [harder to] target ... show them how to ask for ID, or get them to remove their disguises, so that we can help them make it harder for criminals and deter further offending."

The fraud summit will be held at the Tamworth police station in early December.

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