VCAS fraud advocates smash the £1m refunds mark

A specialist fraud advocacy team delivered by Safer Communities has now helped scam victims across Cleveland recover more than £1 million after they were targeted by fraud and financial crime.

The Financial Fraud Advocates service, delivered through Safer Communities’ Victim Care and Advice Service (VCAS), provides hands-on support to people who have lost money to scams.

The team helps victims gather evidence, challenge decisions and pursue complaints with banks, financial institutions and the Financial Ombudsman where appropriate.

The £1 million milestone has been reached after securing recoveries for local victims affected by fraud and financial crime.

Dave Mead, service manager for VCAS, said: “Passing the £1 million mark is a huge achievement for the service and for the people we support, but behind every case is someone whose life has been turned upside down by fraud.

“Victims often feel embarrassed, blamed or powerless, when they have been targeted by organised and sophisticated criminals.

“Our advocates stand alongside them, help gather evidence, challenge decisions and support them through what can be a very difficult and confusing process.

“For many people, recovering money lost to fraud can be life changing. This service proves what can be achieved when victims are given specialist support and when local partners work together.”

Supporting victims across Cleveland

The Financial Fraud Advocates service supports people affected by a wide range of scams, including online fraud, fake investments, impersonation scams, romance or befriending fraud, courier fraud and repeat financial exploitation.  As well as helping people pursue lost money, the team also works to reduce repeat victimisation and support people dealing with the emotional impact of fraud.

How the Cleveland model works

The Cleveland FFA model brings together charity-led delivery, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, all four local council Trading Standards teams and money recovered from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The service is funded through a partnership between the OPCC, Trading Standards teams from Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland councils, and Proceeds of Crime Act money.

That means cash taken from criminal activity is being reinvested directly into helping local victims recover financially, rebuild confidence and reduce the risk of being targeted again.

Safer Communities says the Cleveland approach could offer a practical blueprint for other areas as police, councils, Trading Standards teams and victim services look for better ways to respond to the scale and harm of fraud.

Call for stronger national action

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Matt Storey, is now preparing to write to the Chancellor calling for stronger national action on fraud victim support.

Mr Storey said the £1 million milestone should be seen as both a major local success and a warning about the scale of fraud.

He said: “Recovering £1 million for victims here in Cleveland is an extraordinary achievement, but it is also just the tip of the iceberg.

“Behind every case is someone living with shame, fear and isolation for something that was never their fault. What strikes me most is how many people suffer in silence, blaming themselves for being tricked by sophisticated scams that exploit trusted brands, relationships and new technology.

“This service shows what can be done when partners stand alongside victims and fight to get their money back. We need national action to push this responsibility back on the banks by strengthening their duty to support victims to get back their hard-earned funds if they become victims of fraud.”

He said: “I’m not daft. I did what I thought was due diligence. Everything looked kosher. There was no pressure selling, the website looked professional, and the account was all set up like a proper investment company.”

After an initial smaller investment was returned with interest, he felt reassured. He later invested a much larger sum, bringing the total amount at risk to £100,000.

The first red flag came when the company said it was restructuring and asked for money to be sent to new bank details.

Then, over the August bank holiday weekend, he received a message suggesting there was an issue with the company. When he tried to contact them, calls went unanswered.

“That was when I started panicking,” he said. “I thought, ‘we could have lost £100,000!’. At that point, I just wanted to get the money back.”

Most of the money was refunded quickly by one of his banks after the fraud was reported, but he struggled to recover the remaining £25,000. Another bank initially refused to reimburse him.

He then turned to Safer Communities’ Financial Fraud Advocates service, where a specialist helped him challenge the decision, liaised with the bank and took the case through the Financial Ombudsman process.

Around ten months after reporting the fraud, he received the remaining £25,000 back.

He said: “I rang Safer Communities and their FFA service from VCAS got involved. They explained what needed to happen and kept me updated. I’d get a phone call every month or every couple of weeks if there was any news. It was all positive, despite the fact it was a long process.”

Brian agreed to speak out anonymously because he wants other people to understand how convincing investment fraud can be and that help is available.

He said: “People think, ‘How can you be suckered in?’ But they don’t know the facts. This was sophisticated. It looked like a proper investment company. They build your trust, then they take more from you.”

The Financial Conduct Authority opened an investigation into Moneda Capital Group in October 2025. The group includes Moneda Capital PLC, Moneda Capital Asset Management Ltd, MCAM Ltd and VSD Capital Ltd.