Frauds

Romance fraud is described as when someone creates a fake identity to enter into a relationship with a victim with the intent to steal either funds or personal information. In 2017, 3557 romance frauds were reported to Action Fraud, averaging 10 reports a day

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/victims-lost-41-million-to-romance-fraud-in-2017-feb18

A study by a new task force set up to tackle the issue found that each victim lost an average of £11,500 to their supposed love interest.

http://www.irvinetimes.com/news/15989121.Romance_fraud_cost_Britons___41_million_in_2017__study_suggests/

Fraudsters are using social media networks, such as Linkedin, to find the next victims of their pension scams.

https://www.ftadviser.com/pensions/2018/02/13/scammers-using-linkedin-to-find-pension-victims/

Three men - including the brother of a feared Birmingham criminal - have been ordered to pay back £13 MILLION after a huge mortgage fraud or face more jail time.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mortgage-fraud-gang-including-brother-14159775

For much of the world, fake news is less of a problem than fake food. One start-up is using the technology behind bitcoin to create anti-counterfeit labels fighting food fraud with blockchain

https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/bitcoin-technology-has-a-new-purpose-fight-food-fraud/

Claiming to be living alone is one of the most common types of benefit fraud.

https://fullfact.org/economy/benefit-fraud-valentines-day/

A Carlisle woman who pleaded guilty to two charges of benefit fraud last month has appeared before District Judge Gerald Chalk to be sentenced.

https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2018/02/12/carlisle-woman-jailed-20k-benefit-fraud/

Together the men ran Luis Michael Training Ltd which fraudulently obtained around £5m of public funds, earmarked by the Skills Funding Agency to create apprenticeships for vulnerable young people

https://www.sfo.gov.uk/2018/02/05/former-welsh-international-footballer/

Love might be in the air around Valentine’s Day, but Dyfed-Powys Police is urging people to be wary of who they meet on dating websites after saving potential victims from sending £52,000 to fraudsters

http://www.llanelliherald.com/39935/police-urge-public-aware-romance-fraud/

A fraudster who falsely claimed he was a survivor of the Grenfell tower fire in order to claim money intended for real victims has been jailed.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps-london-north-london-south/news/fake-grenfell-survivor-jailed-fraud-offences