Fraud
Fraud Home
Welcome to the fraud mini website. This site provides information about fraud for the police and crime reduction practitioners, businesses and consumers. There are many sorts of fraud including plastic card fraud, identity theft, and benefit fraud. Most of the information on this site is about plastic card fraud, but there is some information about scams and internet fraud and you will find links to other sites containing information about benefit fraud and identity fraud.
What can I find on this site?
This site contains information about different types of fraud and what is being done to combat them, as well as tips on avoiding fraud and on what to do if you should fall victim. There is information for the police, for businesses and for consumers/cardholders.
Why is it important to tackle fraud?
Fraud is not a victimless crime
People often think that fraud is a victimless crime, but it affects everyone - not just banks and financial institutions. Anyone who is a victim of fraud knows only too well the inconvenience and distress it causes. In extreme cases innocent individuals may lose livelihoods or life savings. Fraud, along with other types of financial crime may be committed by organised criminals who could also be involved in crimes such as drug trafficking and terrorism which affect the country as a whole.
Fraud damages the economy
Fraud overall costs the British economy an enormous amount of money, estimated as at least £14 billion in a report commissioned by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) published in March 2007. The costs of fraud impact throughout the economy. Fraud drives up costs for consumers (for example through increased insurance premiums) and reduces the amount of money available for public services (because fraudsters claim benefits that they are not entitled to, which leaves less available for public spending).
Last update: Thursday, July 09, 2009