TRAFFORD Housing Trust (THT) has been the victim of an alleged £102,000 fraud.

The not-for-profit charity and housing provider says it was targeted by an electronic con in April, which has affected a number of private and public sector organisations in the country - including Cumbria Council.

THT say they only discovered the fraud after a supplier alerted them to a non-payment of invoices and they realised they had been duped.

In his weekly online blog on May 20, Matthew Gardiner, chief executive of THT, said: “I am disgusted that a charitable organisation that works so hard to provide modern, affordable homes for its tenants, some of whom are among the most vulnerable in our society, has been targeted in this way.

“I am sorry this has happened. Tenants can rest assured that this will not affect their rents, services or repairs.

"It does not change the underlying financial strength of the organisation and makes no difference to this year’s plans or budgets.”

Within 24 hours of discovering the fraud, THT were able to secure an injunction to close the fraudulent account closed and obtained details of the account holder and transactions undertaken through that account.

A man has been charged in connection with the case.