New unit to tackle online consumer scams

Office of Fair Trading team and trading standards officers to get £4.3m funding over three years

Those buying online will receive greater protection, the government says

The government is investing £4.3m over three years in a taskforce to tackle online crime, it was announced today.

The money will go to a team within the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) that will focus on fake product suppliers and ticket scams. Some funds will also be directed to improve the capabilities of trading standards officers dealing with them.

The Office of Fair Trading estimates that around three million UK consumers lose a total of £3.5bn each year through this type of scam.

Consumer minister Kevin Brennan said: "Our investment will help the OFT and Trading Standards to establish the new specialist teams, training and technology required to take the fight to these criminals.”

The OFT team has already set up a fully equipped laboratory with specialist equipment and is being trained by an international expert.

Heather Clayton, OFT senior director, said: “The enforcement team will be looking at the activities of a wide range of commercial web sites and taking action in cases where consumers’ rights are being abused."

The team is one of a number of other agencies tasked with tackling different forms of online crime, including local police forces, the Metropolitan Police e-crime unit, the National Fraud Reporting Centre, and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency.