Investigators return nearly £1million to fraud victim

Financial investigators have returned nearly £1 million to a victim who was tricked out of the money in an investment scam. 

The return of the funds took place as Kent Police joins forces around the country in a month-long initiative to arrest fraudsters and disrupt their criminal activity.

Kent Police's Economic Crime Unit have been carrying out enquiries into a company registered to an address in the north Kent area.

Suspicious accounts

Financial flows in and out of the company accounts were suspicious and didn't seem to match the firm’s stated description as a 'software publishing and technology consultancy'. This led to financial investigators freezing around £960,000 in four accounts held by the firm.

Further analysis of the money coming into the company and exchanges between currency and cryptocurrency led to investigators speaking to partners in the UK and abroad.

Together, they established that a victim in Canada had paid the money to a firm he was tricked into believing was a legitimate British investment company.

Funds frozen

On 5 February 2025, financial investigators successfully applied for the frozen funds to be returned to the victim in Canada at a hearing at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court.

The court application was part of a range of activity taking place in February under Operation Henhouse, a National Economic Crime Centre initiative in partnership with City of London Police, which provides funding to forces to undertake additional operational activity against fraudsters.

Between Sunday 2 and Monday 10 February, officers arrested seven people linked to a range of separate frauds, including pretending to be a police officer, a solar panel installation scam and credit card fraud. Six of those arrested have been released pending further investigation and another has been released without charge.

A suspected rogue trader and a person believed to be defrauding people through online vehicle sales have also been sent cease and desist letters while officers monitor their activities.

Tackling fraud

Detective Inspector Marc Makin, of Kent Police's Economic Crime Unit, said:

'The return of nearly £1 million to a fraud victim in Canada shows the lengths our investigators will go to while investigating crimes that often cross borders and lead financial trails around the world. 'The further arrests we have carried out this week show we will be relentless in pursuit of those in the county who try to scam others and profit from lies and deception. 'We will continue to work with other forces through Op Henhouse to bring fraudsters to justice and, where possible, return stolen money to victims.'

For more information on fraud, including prevention advice, visit our website.