MOTORISTS in the region are being warned not to dump credit card receipts in forecourt bins, following a spate of fraud incidents.

The problem started in the east Cleveland area at the beginning of the year and Detective Sergeant Paul Richardson, of Redcar CID, said it had spread to all parts of the North-East and North Yorkshire.

He said motorists were paying for petrol by credit or debit card and throwing the slips into nearby bins. At night, fraudsters are going through the bins, collecting tickets and are buying goods through telesales by reading out the numbers.

Det Sgt Richardson said he wanted to warn people to dispose of their credit card slips when they get home and to ask retailers to make extra checks before agreeing a sale over the telephone.

"People are really surprised when it happens, because they don't always realise when money has gone out of their account and they don't think about holding on to the receipt. They do get the money back eventually but it is very difficult."

l Two people from Redcar are in custody awaiting trial at Teesside Crown Court in the New Year on charges of fraud and conspiracy to fraud.