Seven people have been charged by police after an investigation into dozens of alleged frauds using cloned credit cards in Dundee.
Officers spent more than two years investigating claims that people’s stolen details had been used to pay off parking fines, council tax bills and rent on council houses in the city.
It is alleged that the frauds totalled around £10,000.
The investigation came after at least 34 separate frauds were said to have been recorded against the council between late 2012 and early 2014.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Six men aged between 25 and 46 years old and a 34-year-old woman were charged in connection with fraud, and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
It is understood that all of those charged are from Tayside.
However, officers previously said they were investigating whether the vast majority of the cards used to pay the bills had been cloned outwith the United Kingdom.
A card is usually cloned by use of a skimming device on a cash machine or payment terminal.
Detective Inspector Wayne Morrison, who had been leading the investigation, said the inquiry had been “long and protracted”.
He also issued advice to people to be on their guard against crime involving credit cards.
He said: “Everyone who uses a cash machine needs to be alert to this particular type of scam and should report anything suspicious to the police, as well as the bank or store where the ATM is situated.
“Skimming devices are designed to read cash and credit card details without the knowledge of the cardholder.
“Such equipment is designed to appear genuine to the untrained or unsuspecting eye.
“However, people must pay close attention and look to see if there is anything stuck into or on to the machine.
“If anything looks out of place, they should not enter their card or PIN.”