Crime

Over £2m lost in Dyfed-Powys to investment fraud last year

Published

1 year ago

April 9, 2025

CRYPTOCURRENCY FRAUDS MOST COMMON SCAM TYPE, SAYS ACTION FRAUD

MORE than £649 million was lost to investment fraud across the UK in 2024, with over £2 million of that total lost in the Dyfed-Powys Police area.

New data from Action Fraud shows a worrying rise in the scale and impact of scams, even as the number of individual reports has fallen.

A total of 25,843 reports of investment fraud were received last year — a 7 per cent decrease compared to 2023 — but the financial losses jumped by 13 per cent, highlighting that scams are becoming fewer but more costly.

The most common type of fraud involved cryptocurrency, featuring in 66 per cent of all reports — up 16 per cent on the previous year.

Criminals targeting all age groups

The age group most likely to be targeted was 35 to 44, but those aged 55 to 64 suffered the highest financial losses, according to the figures.

Investment fraud typically involves criminals persuading victims — often out of the blue — to put money into high-return schemes or products that are either worthless or entirely fictitious. Popular cons include investments in foreign exchange, gold, precious metals, overseas timeshares, and cryptocurrency.

‘If it sounds too good to be true…’

Detective Superintendent Oliver Little, from the City of London Police, which leads the national response to investment fraud, said: “Investment fraud continues to be a key focus area because of its prevalence — which is evident from the stark figure of £649 million lost last year.

“It may seem obvious, but we always stress the age-old saying: If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

“These fraudsters are often highly skilled at making their pitch sound convincing. Don’t be tempted by the promise of ‘easy money’ — legitimate investing is never simple or risk-free.”

He added that people should always research opportunities independently, check the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) register, and avoid taking advice from strangers or over social media.

Social media: A fraudster’s playground

Social media continues to be a key enabler for fraud, with 36 per cent of investment scams starting on a platform. WhatsApp was the most common, used in 40 per cent of scams, followed by Facebook (18 per cent) and Instagram (14 per cent).

Criminals often impersonate well-known celebrities to gain credibility. In 2024, the most impersonated figure was money-saving expert Martin Lewis — whose name was used in 44 per cent of these cons. Other popular names used by scammers included Elon Musk (40 per cent) and Jeremy Clarkson (8 per cent).

Action Fraud said AI-generated images and deepfake videos were increasingly being used to give scams a false sense of authenticity.

Warning signs to watch for

According to Action Fraud, there are several red flags that often signal a fraudulent investment opportunity:

Contact via social media or WhatsApp: Unsolicited investment messages are a major red flag. Block and report the sender.
Promises of guaranteed high returns: Cryptocurrency and trading frauds made up 75 per cent of all scam types. Be sceptical of anyone promising returns of 10–20 per cent or more.
Use of celebrity endorsements: Fake ads using celebrities like Martin Lewis and Elon Musk cost UK victims over £10 million last year.

How to protect yourself

Take your time: Legitimate companies will never rush you into investing.
Get advice: Speak to someone you trust, or consult a qualified financial advisor.
Check the FCA register: Make sure the company is authorised. If it’s not, you won’t be protected if something goes wrong.
Be wary of recovery scams: Victims are often targeted again by criminals claiming they can recover lost funds — for a fee.

Help and advice

If you’ve been a victim of investment fraud:

Contact Action Fraud via www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040 (England, Wales, Northern Ireland).
In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
Report unregulated firms to the FCA using the form on their website or call 0800 111 6768.
Check your credit rating regularly in case of identity theft.
Seek legal advice — fraud cases can also give rise to civil legal claims, including the tort of deceit and breach of contract.

For tips on staying safe, visit: https://www.fca.org.uk/scamsmart or https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk

Crime

Local carpenter retains driving licence despite previous ban

Published

1 day ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A Herbrandston carpenter has been allowed to keep his driving licence despite a previous driving disqualification for using his mobile phone whilst driving.

Addressing District Judge Mark Layton at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week, Simon Shaw stressed the disqualification was having a major impact on his work commitment as well as his ability to support members of his family.

“If the ban continues, at least two of my five employees will have to be lost” said Shaw, who works as a self-employed carpenter operating from Herbrandston and the Milford Haven Industrial Estate.

“We travel throughout the whole of West Wales and also work at Thorne Island, where we’ve been providing logistical support for renovations for the last four years.”

Shaw, of Triplestone Close, Herbrandston, went on to say that his business has only one other driver who works as a reserve fire fighter.

“As a result, he’s not available to provide the 24 hour cover we provide to various care homes in the county,” he said.

Simon Shaw concluded by stating that his daughter is also dependent on his support having recently given birth to twins while his son-in-law and his partner’s mother are both currently undergoing serious healthcare treatments.

“I’m trying to provide as much logistical support for them as I can, but without my driving licence, this is impossible,” he said.

After listening to his comments, Judge Layton granted Shaw permission to retain his licence.

Crime

Delivery driver caught twice over legal drink-drive limit

Published

1 day ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A DELIVERY driver has been banned from the roads after being caught behind the wheel when he was over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Twenty-nine year old Sam Rowe was stopped by officers just before 9.30 am on April 20 as he drove his Vauxhall Vivaro along Ferry Lane in Pembroke Dock.

“His speech was slurred and his eyes were bloodshot,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest Magistrates Court this week.

“There was also a strong smell of intoxicants emanating from him.”

When spoken to by the officers, Rowe stated he’d drunk a pint of alcohol approximately an hour before being stopped, however subsequent breathalyser tests showed he had no less than 75 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

Rowe, of Hazel Close, Pontypool, pleaded guilty to the offence and was represented in court by solicitor Michael Kelleher who informed the court that the defendant was holidaying in Pembrokeshire at the time of the offence.

“His daughter fell ill and he was attempting to find painkillers for her at a supermarket,” he said. “He’s very remorseful and is now going to lose his job as a delivery driver.”

Rowe, who has no previous convictions, was disqualified from driving for a total of 20 months. He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £48 surcharge.

Crime

Police tip-off leads to driving ban for Milford motorist

Published

1 day ago

May 6, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE motorist has lost his licence after police received information that the 40-year-old male may have been driving under the influence of drugs.

This week Haverfordwest Magistrates court was told that at around 8.30pm on November 22 officers received a call informing them that Michael Miles was suspected of driving his Peugeot Bipper through Milford Haven after consuming drugs.

Miles was subsequently stopped on Marble Hall Road and when spoken to by the officers, he informed them that he was a drug user. A saliva sample tested positive for cocaine while further tests carried out at the police station showed that Miles had 760 mcg of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine in his system, the legal limit being 50.

Miles, of Milford Road, Steynton, chose to be legally unrepresented in court and pleaded guilty to the drug-driving charge.

The probation service said he was very remorseful for the offence and has since had appointments with the Dyfed Drugs and Alcohol Service to help him deal with his drug usage. Miles was served with an interim driving disqualification however as a result of his previous non-payment of fines, his punitive sentencing was adjourned to Thursday, May 7.

“If you pay your outstanding fines before Thursday, you will be fined for this offence,” warned District Judge Mark Layton. “But if you don’t pay, you will be given a custodial sentence.”