Filter publications by year
> 2023
Transparency International UK (TI-UK) published this report analysing money laundering risk in e-payments noting the rapid growth of the electronic money institution (EMI) sector. In its view, while most EMIs will be legitimate payment providers, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests they are open to abuse by those seeking to launder corrupt and other illicit funds through the global economy. In 2019/20, almost one-third (19,293) of suspicious activity reports (SARs) relating to suspected criminal funds came from the e-payment sector, of which EMIs make up a significant proportion. It is currently unclear to what extent EMIs are being used to channel the proceeds of corruption. Unlike the fraud schemes that have identified UK EMI firms, corruption and associated money laundering can take years to emerge, with law enforcement agencies often reliant on whistle-blowers, leaks and the work of investigative journalists.
Open Publication
Ransomware is one of the greatest threats faced by businesses today, irrespective of sector, with attacks now commonly taking the form of wither data encryption or data exfiltration coupled with ransom demands. Data subject litigation following on from a cyber-incident is also significantly on the rise. Phishing emails are still a prominent root cause of cyber-attacks, although there has been a slight decrease in our cases from 32% in 2020 to 25% in 2021. We continue to see phishing emails being used where the end goal is to extract data and deliver malware to encrypt systems as a precursor to demanding a ransom payment. However, phishing emails are also the initial point of intrusion for other forms of cyber-attack, including the perpetration of further phishing campaigns or payment diversion fraud attempts. As ever, being as prepared as possible for a cyber-attack is of critical importance. From having well-rehearsed incident response and business recovery plans in place, to ensuring that IT security is taken seriously, with senior stakeholder involvement and accountability, are critical. The consequences for an unprepared organisation can be devastating
Over the last 12 months, the NCSC has played a key role in managing significant events and taken action to make the UK a safer place to live and work online. A particular highlight has been the work that the NCSC did to support the Covid-19 vaccine roll out. The NCSC dealt with 777 incidents – an increase on last year – of which 20% were linked to the health sector and vaccines. One of the trends the NCSC has seen over the last year was a worrying growth in criminal groups using ransomware to extort organisations. It is now the most immediate cyber security threat to UK businesses and one which should be higher on the boardroom agenda.
To fight fraud in your organisation, you first have to learn what fraud is, why it’s important to stop it, red flags to look for and ways to prevent it.
Preventing fraud is not just the responsibility of management, the board of directors, the inspector general or the audit team. Everyone has a role to play in the prevention of fraud. Help your organisation protect its finances — and its reputation — from harm.
Open publication
This plan is an ambitious vision for policing and the Criminal Justice System, that places modern approaches to preventing crime at its heart, with the aim of reducing the amount of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour in our communities. Defeating fraud and cyber-crime in the West Midlands requires a partnership response. The PCC will continue to support the West Midlands Fraud Board, which includes Trading Standards, the Midlands Fraud Forum, West Midlands Police, the Crown Prosecution Service, Cifas, UK Finance, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and the City of London Police. The PCC will work to see a better national approach to fraud. Building on Birmingham City University’s report “Tackling Fraud in the UK: Successes Shortfalls and Strategies for Improvement”, and will work to see its recommendations implemented. Governance of the national fraud collaboration needs to improve, along with more research into both the criminal economy associated with fraud and effective fraud prevention. The PCC sees potential to develop a public health approach to fraud prevention.
The purpose of this report is to enhance our understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of introducing a mandatory requirement on organisations to report fraud in England and Wales. Survey respondents were generally in favour of making the reporting of fraud mandatory. However, support was qualified by a need to clearly articulate the purpose and benefits of doing so in order to garner organisational support and compliance, and to determine the scope and form of reporting. The ability to successfully agree these was identified as a potential barrier. Other barriers included concerns about the reputational consequences of reporting, and many were not convinced that the potential benefits outweighed the likely costs.
The report is a collaboration between the IPO, enforcement agencies and industry representatives that make up the IP Crime Group and details the work done by these entities to combat IP crime, including current and emerging counterfeiting and piracy threats in the UK and overseas, and successful cases concluded.
The UK Government has published its Beating Crime Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan sets out the UK government’s strategy for cutting crime. One of the key focuses, as set out in the Plan, is the UK government’s proposal to tackle fraud. According to the Plan, fraud accounts for approximately 42% of all crime against individuals. A report published by the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the University of Portsmouth in 2019 suggested that fraud costs UK businesses £130 billion each year.
A New Action Plan will tackle fraud, which is the biggest crime in England and Wales, to reduce the serious harm this crime causes and to make it safer for us all as we go about our lives. The threat posed by fraud to our economy and the public is one we are determined to address, working with the public and industry to prevent the crime and by disrupting, pursuing and bringing to justice the most harmful. The National Crime Agency will be strengthened through the recruitment of additional officers and new capabilities that can take on these tech-enabled criminal networks. Catching criminals is only the first step. The next stage is taking them to court. We are going to speed up the process and reduce waiting times in the court system.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published Findings from ICO consensual data protection audits and follow-up audits of police forces.
The report highlights the key findings and commonalities from 14 individual audit reports and 11 subsequent follow-up audits of police forces in England and Wales conducted between May 2018 to October 2020.
The report considers the performance of the NCA against its strategic priorities for the relevant period including reducing the harm caused by economic crime with a focus on fraud, money laundering and cybercrime as well as the objective of reducing the number of victims of modern slavery, human trafficking and organised immigration crime.
Search articles by keyword
Midlands Fraud Forum Ltd. Reg.No: 06436330 Copyright © 2023 Disclaimer & Privacy Policy
