Cifas welcomes Home Office Fraud Strategy, but police data sharing critical to cutting fraud

Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service, welcomes today’s launch of the Home Office Fraud Strategy, which outlines plans for an intelligence led policing response to fraud, backed by a new Fraud Squad and 400 new posts. The plan also commits to reviewing how fraud can be more effectively prosecuted and highlights the appointment of Anthony Browne MP as Anti-Fraud Champion.

This investment in additional policing resource will support the inclusion of fraud within the recently announced Strategic Policing Requirement, and although policing resource for fraud investigation will remain low relative to the scale and harm from these crimes, it is very much a step in the right direction.

The continuing gap between policing resource and the size of the fraud problem does however necessitate a range of innovative responses from policing, in collaboration with trusted partners. Critical to this will be delivering on secure, legal data sharing by law enforcement, to empower industry and wider partners to stop and block frauds, in line with the aims of this strategy.

Mike Haley, CEO of Cifas, said: ‘Following on from the recent publication of the Economic Crime Plan, today’s strategy and appointment of Anthony Browne MP as Anti-Fraud Champion represents a strong commitment to upping the law enforcement and Government response to fraud and financial crime.

‘The additional investment in policing resource is welcome but remains dwarfed by an ever-growing range of fraud threats. I therefore especially welcome the further commitment to share law enforcement data with industry, and through this better protect the public and businesses from fraud and its many harms.

‘This commitment must be delivered upon to take the fight to fraudsters, and it is owed to the victims of their crimes.’

Notes to Editors

Cifas is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation that protects businesses and individuals through effective and secure data and intelligence sharing between the private, public and third sectors. In 2022, Cifas member organisations prevented around £1.6bn of fraud losses.

Cifas data is included in the Office of National Statistics England and Wales Crime Statistics of police recorded crime and works alongside law enforcement agencies in tackling fraud.

For more information, please contact Corinne Gladstone, Head of Strategic Communications, on press@cifas.org.uk.

Contact us at press@cifas.org.uk