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Charities have raised concerns that victims of fraud are often let down by the criminal justice system, with new data revealing that only a small proportion of reported fraud cases result in prosecution. According to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, 1.2 million fraud incidents were recorded in England and Wales over the year leading up to June. However, Ministry of Justice statistics show that fewer than 13,000 of these cases were pursued through the courts during the same period. Wayne Stevens, who leads on fraud issues for the charity Victim Support, criticized the system by saying, “Our experience is that victims get a pretty poor deal from the criminal justice system as a whole.” The Home Office responded by announcing plans to release a comprehensive fraud strategy early next year.
The actual number of fraud cases may be significantly higher than official reports suggest. The Office for National Statistics’ Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates approximately 4.1 million fraud incidents in the twelve months ending in June. This figure includes many offenses that victims have not reported to authorities. One victim, Joan Holdaway, aged 85, shared her story during the BBC’s Scam Safe Week held from 22 to 28 November. She fell prey to an investment scam promoted through celebrity images and lost £1,000 after persistent phone calls from fraudsters. Joan described the experience as deeply distressing: “All I kept thinking about was how I was going to eke out the money that I’d still got. Then I kept thinking ‘I’m not going to get this back, I know I’m not.'”
Joan sought help from Action Fraud, the UK’s national center for reporting fraud and cybercrime, which connected her with Cleveland Police. Subsequently, officers referred her to the Victim Care and Advice Service (VCAS), which assisted her in obtaining reimbursement through bank policies implemented just over a year ago. The mandatory reimbursement requirement compels banks to refund victims of push payment fraud, where individuals are deceived into voluntarily transferring money to criminals. Despite this, no prosecutions have resulted from Joan’s case, and she described the emotional toll as severe. “It’s made me very, very suspicious,” she said. “You just cannot sleep properly and it’s just on your mind all the time… I don’t think you ever get over it really… I think it stays with you.”
The charity Victim Support continues to express worries that victims are often not taken seriously when they report fraud either to their bank or law enforcement. Stevens pointed out that fraud cases involving international elements frequently go uninvestigated and that reimbursement was not always guaranteed until recent reforms. He emphasized the need for stronger public awareness campaigns about the realities of fraud and called for closer cooperation between banks and social media companies, where many scams occur. Meanwhile, UK Finance, representing the banking industry, stated that protecting customers is paramount and that significant investments in fraud detection are ongoing. The Home Office reaffirmed its commitment to combating fraud, stating, “Fraud is a serious and damaging crime that can affect anyone, at any time, and we are determined to bring those responsible to justice.” The new fraud strategy promised in the upcoming year aims to reduce crime, target offenders, and better protect victims.
Based in Stockton-on-Tees, the Victim Care and Advice Service plays a crucial role in supporting thousands of fraud victims annually. Dave Mead, who leads VCAS after a long career in policing, revealed the scale of the issue: “A big, big chunk of our work and some of our most challenging work is fraud… We’re contacting between 500 to 800 victims of fraud every month.” He highlighted how many incidents remain unreported and stressed the importance of outreach through community groups such as those for elderly people, faith organizations, and youth to raise awareness. Vicky Beaumont, an advice and support worker with VCAS, described the emotional weight of the work. “Even though I help people and speak to people day in day out, it’s still hard to see them relive that emotion,” she said. Nonetheless, she called the role incredibly rewarding, saying, “It’s such a good job to do to be able to support people like that and get great results for them.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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