Scammers target major events and seasonal travel, often using fake websites that appear nearly identical to official platforms.
Social Media Scams: Criminals use fake profiles to advertise "sold out" tickets for music gigs, sports matches, and theatre shows.
Urgent Payment Pressure: Fraudsters often insist on direct bank transfers instead of secure site payments, often by offering a "discount".
Phantom Accommodations: Scammers copy photos of genuine properties to list fake holiday rentals. Victims often only discover the fraud upon arriving at their destination.
Travel Card Scams: A recent regional alert warned of fake "Swift pay as you go" card offers promising a year of free public transport for a promotional fee.
Recent & Evolving Threats (2026)
Local alerts from WM Now have shifted focus toward technology-based financial theft in crowded areas.
Digital Pickpocketing: In January 2026, police issued warnings for Wednesfield and Heath Town regarding handheld card readers. Scammers use these in high-footfall areas like Bentley Bridge Shopping Park and Heath Town Markets to trigger unauthorised contactless payments through bags or pockets.
"Love Your Phone" Campaign: A 2026 initiative focuses on preventing snatch thefts of mobile devices, which are often used to access banking apps for further fraud.
Blackmail & Sextortion: Cases of digital blackmail reached decade-high levels recently, with one 2026 Wolverhampton case involving a £5,000 extortion plot.
Crime Statistics & History
While fraud data is often recorded at a force-wide level, local trends show significant financial impacts.
Economic Impact: In late 2025, consumers in the West Midlands lost over £546,000 to Black Friday holiday scams alone.
Force Performance: West Midlands Police recorded roughly 89 crimes per 1,000 people in the 12 months ending January 2026.
If you think you've been scammed:
Freeze your card immediately via your banking app.
Call 159 to be connected directly to your bank's fraud department.
Report it to the Action Fraud Online Portal or call 0300 123 2040.
Stay Safe.
Regards.
LPA - Dudley Central Team 2
‘Working in partnership, making communities safer’
