UK police forces met to discuss how they can improve the support provided to victims of fraud. The two-day conference in Loughborough was to look at how the changing nature, scale and scope of economic crime is demanding more collaboration and coordination from law enforcement. Topics included fraud investigation and the end-to-end service (or lack of it) available to victims, from reporting to Action Fraud to resolution (or lack of it, business and private victims of fraud complain) with a local force.
The conference comes a few months after Action Fraud moved to the City of London Police to work alongside the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. Since establishing a more joined-up service the National Policing Lead for Fraud has, for the first time, disseminated fraud and cyber profiles to all UK forces highlighting major national crime trends and helping local police shape responses to the specific threats they are facing in their own areas.
Police say that there has also been a drive to improve the level of service available to victims of fraud, with processes put in place to provide status updates on all Action Fraud reports and the establishment of a new Economic Crime Victim Care Unit at the City of London Police.
The Police National Coordinator for Economic Crime, City of London Police Commander Steve Head, said before the conference: “There is a growing recognition across the police service that fraud and cyber crime is evolving in a way that is removing the restrictions on geography and time that apply to other types of criminality, leaving more and more people exposed to the threat and more and more victims requiring specialist care. This conference will examine how the police service is currently responding to these multiple challenges now and start to map out a strategy that will see us provide a more effective response in the future. Having representatives from all forces in attendance highlights how much of a priority tackling all aspects of fraud and cyber crime is becoming for forces across the UK.”
Speakers at the event include the Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire, Alan Charles, and Victim Support.
