Fraud Top 10
last updated 1/12/11
Top 10 Websites Top 10 News Stories Top 10 Statistics
Top 10 Websites
There are endless sources of advice and information available on the internet. Some are out of date or unreliable. I have carefully selected sites which I believe are reliable sources and in each case I give a short description of the source for your reassurance. I find these websites to be amongst the most informative. Many will contain further links to other sources of information. Please use them to try and find the help you are seeking.
1ACTION FRAUD – The UK's National Fraud Reporting Centre
ACTION FRAUD is the place for you to find out about fraud. It is the UK’s national fraud reporting centre. If you’ve been scammed, ripped off or conned, there is something you can do about it - get in touch with them.
2IDENTITY FRAUD – Advice
This website has been produced by a combination of public and private sector bodies, including Police Forces and The Home Office, to combat the threat of identity theft. It is the best place for help if you have had your identity stolen.
3CONSUMER RIGHTS and SCAMS – including online buying, cold calling, etc.
"Directgov" is the government's own online service offering information and advice on consumer issues and other public services. Here you will find details of the Office of Fair Trading and your Local Authority Trading Standards Offices.
4RETAILER FRAUD - Prevention and Advice for Retailers
Financial Fraud Action UK is a UK banking industry initiative that aims to raise awareness of card fraud prevention. An excellent resource for business people, including many useful inks and contacts for retailers.
5ON-LINE BANKING – Make it Safer
Bank Safe Online is the UK banking industry's initiative to help online banking customers stay safe online. This site is run by UK Payments Administration on behalf of its member banks. Take advantage of this advice.
6SHARE FRAUD – get advice from Op. Archway
A City of London Police operation specifically targeting 'Boiler Room' Scams (Investment in bogus shares or shares that you are unable to sell)
7POLICE FRAUD ALERT – "Sterling" offers advice on a variety of frauds
Sterling is the Metropolitan Police initiative to tackle Economic Crime throughout London. Their advice can equally apply elsewhere in England and Wales.
8CIFAS - The Uk's Fraud Prevention Service
Following specification by the Home Office under the Serious Crime Act 2007, public authorities are able to join CIFAS and share information reciprocally to prevent fraud. CIFAS can help victims of identity theft having difficulty with their credit ratings.
9EXPERIAN
This is one of the main UK credit reference agencies – they offer fraud prevention advice. They can be helpful in cases of IDENTITY THEFT which cause problems to your credit rating.
10FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY
The FSA site – check if Financial Service Providers are on the FSA REGISTER or not. There is also a whole range of good consumer advice and more.
Top 10 News Stories
These are headlines of news stories, loosely relating to fraud, which you may find useful and interesting.
1Dealing With The Looters - A Beak Speaks (An insight into the limitations of JPs)
Guardian - August 2011
2Read The Accounts of 11 Victims Of Fraud and The Impact It Had On Their Lives
Action Fraud - August 2010
3How Not To Be A Fraud Victim - 12 Tips For Consumers
The Telegraph - December 2010
4Dating conman who duped women of thousands jailed for five years.
Times - May 2010
5Lee O'Donnell and twins Paul and Gregory Spicer convicted of £2 million horse race betting scam
CPS News - June 2010
6Beware The New Recruitment Scam - Criminals are using fake recruitment scams to target jobseekers and students and trick them into using their bank accounts for money laundering. (Money Mules).
Walletpop - February 2011
7Counter-Terror Officer Jailed for 7/7 Fraud
The Independent - November 2010
8100,000 computers infected with bank scamming technology - Thousands of people are at risk of having their personal data used by cybercriminals to commit fraud.
Action Fraud - August 2010
9Hunt for UK's 10 Most Wanted Fraudsters
CHANNEL 4 NEWS and Crimestoppers - August 2011
10Watch Out For Scam Invoices
Action Fraud - December 2010
Top 10 Statistics
I am very wary of statistical evidence unless I have checked it and put it in context. I think anecdotal evidence is much more fun and, although it can be equally misleading, is no less worthy of being called evidence.
Fraud is often perpetrated by using statistics out of context.
I reproduce a selection of random statistics below which are out of context and therefore should not be used alone; nevertheless they are genuine statistics from respected sources and have some connection with fraud.
I hope they at least create debate.
1In 2010 in the UK - £30 million was lost to CHEQUE FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
2 In 2010 in the UK - £60 million was lost to ONLINE BANKING FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
3In 2010 in the UK - £90 million was lost to COUNCIL TAX FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
4In 2010 in the UK - £440 million was lost to PLASTIC CARD FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
5In 2010 in the UK - £1000 million was lost to MORTGAGE FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
6In 2010 in the UK - £1000 million was lost to BENEFIT FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
7In 2010 in the UK - £1900 million was lost to IDENTITY FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
8In 2010 in the UK - £2100 million was lost to INSURANCE FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
9In 2010 in the UK - £3500 million was lost to MASS MARKETING FRAUD
View Source: National Fraud Authority Annual Fraud Indicator 2011
10In 1999 Sussex Police employed 11 full time fraud detectives - by 2009 it had fallen to 7
[Source: personal knowledge]