North Wales firms warned after £1.3m cyber theft case
Businesses across North Wales are being urged to tighten online security after police confirmed a sharp rise in cybercrime, including a £1.3 million theft from one local company.
According to North Wales Police, online crime has now overtaken street crime, with ransomware attacks and payment diversion frauds becoming increasingly common.
That will be the focus of a talk by Detective Constable Roheryn Evans of the Cyber Crime Team at the next Wrexham Business Professionals meeting on Thursday 11 September at Hotel Wrexham.
DC Evans said some of the most damaging scams have been carried out by international gangs.
He said: “We had a North Wales businesswoman who lost £1.3 million and we traced the money to Pakistan.
“She was tricked into opening up her computer system because she thought she was getting remote support. The scammers deceived her into making bank transfers totalling £1.3 million. The money moved through several accounts across the UK before ending up in Pakistan.”
Another local case involved a business owner who lost £200,000 after criminals gained access to his SIM card by impersonating him to a mobile provider.
“It happened twice, totalling £200,000. Fortunately, the bank recovered the money the first time, but even a day’s delay can cause disruption to payroll and bills,” said DC Evans.
Police say firms on industrial estates in Deeside and Wrexham have also been targeted in payment diversion scams, where criminals intercept invoices and change bank details, leading to losses of up to £100,000.
DC Evans added: “The more intelligence we gather, the better equipped we are to target organised crime groups. We work closely with the National Crime Agency, who are well-placed to tackle national and international threats.
“Our key advice is to get the basics right – use strong passwords, ensure staff are trained in online safety, and be aware of common scam tactics. Good backups and regular network testing can also go a long way in preventing ransomware attacks.”
Henry Platten, an Artificial Intelligence innovator and former police sergeant, will also speak at the event about how businesses can use AI to boost profits while avoiding digital risks.
Ian Edwards from Wrexham Business Professionals said: “Cybercrime is a threat to every business, big and small, and it’s vital firms have safeguards in place to try to prevent becoming a victim.”
Louise Harper from the group added: “Crime of any sort can devastate a business, and these ruthless online gangs can ruin firms’ finances, putting jobs at risk.”
The free event takes place at Hotel Wrexham in Holt from 8.30am to 10.15am on Thursday 11 September. To attend, email [email protected]
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