Operation Elaborate
Update: February 2023
The Met continues to investigate the users of iSpoof. Since the start of Operation Elaborate the Metropolitan Police have arrested 138 suspects and are pursuing hundreds of lines of enquiry. This is a huge undertaking and the investigation team are working at pace to deliver justice for victims.
Thank you to all those that reported a fraud following our text message appeal. It is not too late to report a fraud and you can do so by going to the Action Fraud website.
Over the coming weeks the investigation team will be making contact with victims in order to start obtaining witness statements and other evidence – All correspondence from the Metropolitan Police will contain the unique reference number that was generated when the allegation was originally reported via Action Fraud.
Thank you again for your help with the investigation.
- DCI Reseigh, Senior Investigating Officer
Message from Commander Catherine Roper
Operation Elaborate is the UK’s largest ever proactive fraud operation. The Met has led an international investigation targeting a website that enabled criminals to disguise their phone number and commit fraud, a practice known as spoofing.
Criminals try to steal personal information by making it look like they’re contacting you from a trusted organisation, such as a bank or building society.
The Met has taken down a website that was used to make 10 million spoof calls between June 2021 and July 2022. We have worked with international partners to track down the owner of the website and locate and arrest those suspected of using it to commit fraud.
We appreciate the devastating impact that being a victim of fraud can have and that often people feel embarrassed or ashamed that they have been tricked. Please don’t.
We have included links below to organisations that can provide support and guidance to you. If you have been a victim of fraud, please report it so that we can tackle this criminality.
What to do if this has happened to you
If you think you have been a victim of fraud, or someone has tried to steal your personal information:
- Report it to Action Fraud online - when filling out the report please be sure to include your telephone number (the one you received the spoofed call on) and cut and paste the word Elaborate into the free text field of your report. This will help us identify your report.
- Change your passwords
- Watch our video and follow the links below to find more advice and information on how to keep yourself safe from fraud and scams
Advice and information on staying safe
Find other 'Little Guides' and videos
Read about fraud and cybercrime
Our top 10 tips on staying safe online