UK shoppers lead the way in buying online — of those of us who use the internet, half regularly make purchases. But this is under threat as retailers struggle to keep the fraudsters at bay

ALREADY representing five per cent of UK retail, online shopping is doubling year on year with e-retail expected to rocket to £14bn this year alone.

But as the sales figures soar so do the number of criminals siphoning off goods using methods like credit card fraud, putting the future of the business in a precarious position.

Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG) is the industry body for global e-retailing, and is fighting back against the e-thieves.

Their determination to crack down on the situation follows a number of startling reports which highlight the magnitude of the problem.

One retailer told the group how in 2002 alone it experienced £9m worth of attempted fraud.

Others have emphasised how the fraudsters blitz them, trying to get as much as they can as quickly as possible, with potentially devastating effects on their business.

Now IMRG is building a comprehensive record of the details of all those who have attempted to defraud businesses. This will allow the retailer to identify them and raise the alarm before it is too late.

An IMRG spokesman said: “‘Hang a thief when he’s young and he’ll no’ steal when he’s old,’ recommends an old Scottish proverb. The IMRG Security Alert service should make it possible for e-retailers to help the police catch a lot more young thieves, and to put others off becoming online thieves in the first place.”