The government launched a new Fraud Strategy on May 3rd, “to stop fraud at source and pursue those responsible wherever they are in the world.”
The aim is reducing fraud by %10 on 2019 levels by 2025.
On the launch of new strategy, the Home Office stated: “Predatory criminals take money out of the pockets of hard-working people, businesses, and organisations, callously targeting the most vulnerable, online and in their own homes.
“The volume and severity of fraud also undermines public confidence in the rule of law and threatens our national and economic security.”
The new strategy includes putting a requirement on mass texting services to be registered to stop fraudsters being able to send mass text messages, and a ban on financial product sales calls to prevent fraudsters duping people into buying fake investments.
To deliver a 10% cut in fraud on 2019 levels by December 2024, the government also will:
Establish a new national fraud squad with over 400 new posts and make fraud a priority for the police;
Deploy the UK intelligence community and lead a new global partnership to relentlessly pursue fraudsters wherever they are in the world
Put more fraudsters behind bars through better investigation and prosecution processes for fraud and digital offences;
Ban SIM farms which are used by criminals to send thousands of scam texts at once;
Replace Action Fraud with a state-of-the-art system for victims to report fraud and cyber-crimes to the police;
Stop people from hiding behind fake companies and create new powers to take down fraudulent websites;
Work with industry to make sure that intelligence is shared quickly with each other and law enforcement;
Change the law so that more victims of fraud will get their money back;
Overhaul and streamline fraud communications so that people know how to protect themselves from fraud and how to report it;
Make the tech sector put in place extra protections for their customers and introduce tough penalties for those who do not; and
Shine a light on which platforms are the safest, making sure that companies are properly incentivised to combat fraud.
The government believes that the new Fraud Strategy will benefit residents and businesses located across the UK and make a material impact on the incidence of fraud in all four nations.
If you have been subject to a fraud or attempted fraud:
Report it online at Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040,
In Scotland, report it to Police Scotland by calling 101,
Contact your bank immediately if you have sent money or had money stolen
If you see something suspicious:
For emails, forward to report@phishing.gov.uk,
For texts, forward to 7726, free of charge,
For calls, text CALL followed by the suspicious number to 7726,
For websites, report your concern to the NCSC,
More information on where to report frauds or suspected frauds is available.
(Source: Home Office)
