STORES are being urged to give the thumbs-up to a new scheme to combat credit card fraud.

This week, police launched Operation Thumbprint, which will help retailers across the borough cut the number of fraudulent transactions or stolen credit cards and cheques being used.

The new scheme encourages retailers to ask customers to put their thumbprint on credit card receipts and on the rear of any cheques tendered. Various ink or inkless devices are available to retailers for this purpose.

Should a cheque or credit card purchase later prove to be fraudulent, by checking the thumbprint against those held on police fingerprint records, police can then trace the offender if they have a previous criminal record.

Police believe adopting this system will help make customers safer. They will not need to carry as much cash and the number of muggings or thefts should reduce as criminals will not steal cheque books or credit cards which they cannot use.

If customers refuse to give a thumbprint, it may lead retailers to become suspicious and they may ask for other forms of payment. Retailers in Shop Watch and Business Watch Schemes are being encouraged to adopt the new system.

PC Chris Mackenzie, GMP's crime reduction adviser: "We are urging both retailers and customers to embrace this new crime-prevention initiative as it is in all our interests to reduce the cost of crime.

"While taking the thumbprint may take a little more time than normal to complete a transaction, it is in everyone's interests to be patient and not to take the request for a thumbprint personally, as fraud ultimately has a knock-on effect on the price of goods in the shops.

The initiative has already been a success in the UK and USA. Figures from other police forces adopting it have reported a reduction in credit card fraud by more than 80 per cent.

DC Stephen Cummins, of GMP's Cheque Fraud Information Unit, added: "The more businesses which take up this type of product, the more effective the deterrent becomes.

"Thumbprints are retained by the retailer and would only ever be passed to the police when fraud is confirmed on that transaction.

"Credit card fraud is currently costing the financial institutions in excess of £400m and is often conducted by highly-organised criminals who use the proceeds to finance their activities, including drug-dealing."

For more information on Operation Thumbprint, contact Keith Middleton at Bury police station on 0161 856 8152.