‘Thumbs up’ for anti-credit card fraud initiative

The Northern Ireland Crime Prevention Panel (NICPP) has launched ‘Thumbs Up’, an initiative to counter cheque and credit card fraud in shops and other retail outlets.

The aim of the programme is to reduce and prevent the fraudulent use of cheques and credit cards which currently costs approximately £400 million each year, a sum paid for by everyone who uses banking service through bank charges.

The scheme works on the basis that whilst a criminal can forge a signature on a cheque or credit card slip he or she cannot steal a shopper’s thumbprint, which is unique - not even identical twins have the same thumbprint.

Retail outlets which use ‘Thumbs Up’ make use of this unique identifying feature. When a customer in a shop wishes to pay by cheque or credit card, they are asked to put their thumbprint onto the rear of the cheque or credit card slip using an inkless gel pad to do so. The pad leaves no residue after the print is given. As fraudsters will not wish to leave their thumbprint ‘at the scene of the crime’ criminals are deterred from shopping at any outlet using ‘Thumbs Up’.

While the scheme is voluntary, retailers can decide whether or not they wish to proceed with a transaction if a shopper does not wish to verify their cheque or credit card slip with a thumb print.

NICPP Chairperson Noel Kincaid said: “This scheme could be an important breakthrough in the fight against crime. The people who carry out this type of fraud are stealing from every member of the public and through this initiative we are giving the public the means to fight back. We would encourage all shoppers to co-operate with the participating retailers to play their part."

PSNI Crime Prevention Officer, Chief Inspector Mark Mason welcomed the scheme as an "important development," which was a "unique chance for every member of the public to play a part in preventing crime and protecting their own and others money and property".

In order to provide Thumbs Up to retailers free of charge the NICPP raised sponsorship from the main banks and the NIO.

The main banks, Belfast City Centre Management, and the town centre management in Omagh, Dungannon and Coleraine are all backing the scheme.

Any retailer interested in joining the scheme or getting more information should contact the NICPP on 028 9031 3054 or contact their local crime prevention officer.

(SP)