Fraud
Home Office guidelines on accepting fraud cases
In August 2004 the Home Office issued a set of case acceptance criteria for police forces to refer to when deciding whether to accept a fraud case for investigation. This new set of priorities was drawn up by a working group made up of representatives from the Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Office, Department of Trade and Industry and police.
The guidelines aim to promote a more consistent approach to accepting fraud cases across the different police forces forces. They are priorities to be taken into account by the police when deciding whether to accept a fraud case for investigation, they are not specific rules governing which cases to accept, nor are they intended to be exhaustive.
The guidelines are also intended to give victims and potential victims a more realistic understanding of the cases which police forces might be able to pursue (while also highlighting the importance of co-operating with the police and of adopting appropriate fraud prevention measures etc).
Where can I find out more?
Home Office Circular 47/2004 which includes the guidelines can be found in the circulars section of the Home Office web site.
Last update: Monday, March 08, 2010