An innovative scheme, the Banking Protocol, has thwarted £820,000 of financial fraud in Devon and Cornwall in just four months of operation.

The Banking Protocol is a partnership between the Post Office, financial organisations, police and Trading Standards officers, working together to prevent financial scams taking place and to provide the victim with care.

The key element of the ground-breaking scheme is that  local bank or building society branch staff can alert police to suspected scams taking place by calling 999, allowing local police officers to arrive at the branch before any transfer of funds takes place and to provide local support for the victim.

Devon and Cornwall Police launched the scheme in July. It is now in place in 43 police forces across the country.

Gary Webster from Cornwall Council Trading Standards said: ‘Alerts raised by bank staff in the past have provided significant help in disrupting this kind of criminal activity.’

The public can learn more on how to prevent themselves, their family and friends becoming victims of fraud and scams, by signing up to the campaign being run by national trading standards teams at www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk