Police are urging people in Bradford who have been the victims of scams to report crimes to a new national fraud centre.

West Yorkshire Police has joined forces with Action Fraud – the UK’s first reporting centre of its kind.

The centre has had 15,000 calls in the past six months from members of the public reporting fraud, which costs victims at least £3.5 billion every year.

However, a police spokesman said the actual figure is probably much higher as many victims of fraud never report it.

Detective Chief Inspector Steven Taylor, of the West Yorkshire Police economic crime unit, said: “Fraudsters can target people in West Yorkshire regardless of where they are based, so by having a national reporting centre we are in a much stronger position to tackle fraud on a local level.

“I would urge victims of fraud or anyone who may suspect fraud is taking place to report it to police.”

Action Fraud takes crime reports from victims of fraud and provides a crime reference number.

The information is fed into the police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to gain a more complete national picture.

Action Fraud also provides a wide range of information about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

Of the crime reports made, fraud losses have ranged from £6 to more than £1 million.

The top five most commonly reported frauds in the past month were online shopping and auction fraud; so-called “advance fee” frauds such as loan and psychic scams; dating frauds; non-investment frauds, such as miracle health and internet dialler scams, and share sale fraud.

Dr Bernard Herdan, chief executive of the National Fraud Authority, said: “Fraud, of any value, is a serious crime that devastates lives and often funds more organised crime like drug smuggling and people trafficking.

“We’re very pleased to see so many people speaking up, but we know there are many more victims out there.

“People often feel embarrassed, but they shouldn’t.

“There are many types of fraud and anyone can become a victim.”

Anyone who has been the victim of fraud should visit actionfraud.org.uk or call 0300 1232040.