Fraud
Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU)
What is the DCPCU?
The DCPCU is a unique policing unit, wholly funded by the banking industry, working closely with, and using intelligence largely provided by the banking industry, to reduce organised plastic card and cheque fraud.
The Unit was launched by the Government as a two year pilot on 26 April 2002. The Home Office provided £1.4 million over the 2 years of the pilot (25% of total costs) with the remainder being met by the card industry. An independent evaluation of the Unit showed that it had been successful in detecting or preventing a significant amount of cheque and credit card fraud (the banks estimated their fraud savings to be around £65m). The industry therefore agreed that the Unit should continue on an established basis and full financial support is now provided by the card and cheque industry. The Home Office continues to chair the Steering Group.
Based in London, but with a nationwide remit, the Unit is made up of police officers drawn from the City of London and Metropolitan Police Forces. These officers are supported by investigators from the banking industry and case support staff.
As well as generating its own cases the Unit receives referrals from banks, card companies and other police forces. Where a case is referred by another police force, DCPCU can use its expertise and experience to assist the force concerned.
The main objectives of the Unit include "to investigate, target, and, where appropriate arrest and seek the successful prosecution of offenders identified as responsible for organised cheque and payment card crimes".
Savings resulting from the Unit's work are now estimated to have exceeded £230m.
Contact the DCPCU:
By telephone: 020 7382 2960 (police officers only).
By fax: 020 7382 2999
e-mail: dcpcu@dcpcu.org.uk
Last update: Friday, March 20, 2009