Luton men charged with fraud over banking app scams in Hemel Hempstead

Two man have been charged with fraud offences after being arrested in Luton in December.

The arrests of the men came after an 11-month long investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary into banking app scams across the county. The scammers used a convincing fake banking app to ‘pay’ for valuable goods like phones and cameras that the victims were selling online.

The app mimicked genuine banking apps and appeared to show the funds being transferred to the bank account of the victims. The unsuspecting sellers believed the money had been transferred and handed over the goods. They later discovered no money was ever sent.

Brian McDonagh, 49, and Martin McDonagh, 23, both of The Crossway, have been charged with two fraud offences, which happened in Hemel Hempstead in January 2022. Both men were released whilst the investigation continues.

If you believe that you are a victim of fraud, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. If a fraud is in progress or someone’s life is in danger, call 999 immediately.