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Former Newcastle United footballer tackles North East fraud

Ex-Newcastle United footballer Graeme Carter, who arrived at St James’ Park as an apprentice in 1986, is helping a number of North East firms prevent fraud - including his former club.

Hailing from Wheatley Hill in County Durham, Graeme launched data shredding company Shred Direct in 2013. In the last 12 months the venture had collected, shredded and re-cycled more than 500 tonnes of confidential waste and waste paper.

Graeme, now 46, and his two drivers make 260 collections per month from businesses and organisations throughout the region – including solicitors and Newcastle Building Society as well as Newcastle United.

Graeme, whose team-mates during his four years at St James’ included Paul Gascoigne, Peter Beardsley and Brazilian cult-hero Mirandinha, explained: “It seemed strange at first going back [to St James’ Park].

“I suppose it’s only human nature to think what might have been and perhaps – if injuries could have been treated the way they are now – I might have had a longer career.”

But the Shred Direct boss is now entirely focused on his business which this month celebrates its third birthday and has plans for expansion.

“I’ve been doing this type of work for 20 years and during that time there has been a transformation in the way we all work,” continued Graeme, who sold his first company to Premier Waste Recycling in 2009.

“But despite the increasing use of computers the idea of a paperless office is largely a myth.”

The advance in technology has also seen a startling growth in computer fraud with thieves becoming more daring.

In 2015, for example, businesses throughout the UK reported losses of £755m through scams involving payment cards, cheques, internet and mobile phone banking.

Earlier this year in Durham local businesses, the police and the region’s three police commissioners took part in the first North East Crime Summit – which focused on fraud - and the government is so concerned at the level of crime that it has set up a taskforce to tackle it.

One of its members believes the problem is not just the result of cybercrime and phone hacking.

“Criminals are continually looking to exploit old and new technology alike to deceive both individuals and organisations into revealing private information that will enable them to commit fraud, sometimes on an industrial level,” revealed Detective Chief Superintendent David Clark, who heads the City of London police’s economic crime unit.

“A used cheque book or an old bill – if not destroyed – provide opportunities for the fraudsters”, added Graeme.

“People are busy at work and paperwork that has been dealt with tends to be put in a file, stored and forgotten. That’s where we can help.”

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