Report Fraud to Action Fraud
If you have been a victim of fraud you
need to report it to Action Fraud – a national
centre that provides a single point of contact for reporting and
advice.
Launched by the National Fraud Authority, Action Fraud provides
a clear signpost for reporting all types of fraud, including
identity theft, investment, credit card and consumer fraud.
Whether an individual or a business you can can report fraud 24
hours a day, seven days a week through the website www.actionfraud.police.uk
or by calling 0300 123 2040. Specialist fraud
advisers are available Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm, Saturday and
Sunday 9am to 5pm. Calls are charged at the standard rate.
The form takes around 20 minutes to fill in and once started it
will need to be completed in one session, so you need to
ensure you have all the relevant information to hand.
You’ll be given a crime reference number and your case will be
referred onto the relevant police force.
Why Contact Action Fraud?
Sometimes people choose not to report fraud because they are
embarrassed that they fell for a scam.
Remember that fraud is a crime and that
fraudsters will constantly reinvent themselves to find new ways of
tricking people. Anyone could be a victim.
Some people also think that fraud is a victimless crime, or that
it’s not as serious as other crimes. This is not true. Fraudsters
are often part of serious organised criminal gangs, who use the
money to fund other crimes such as human trafficking, illegal
firearms trade and terrorism.
Fraudsters rely on silence. We can beat fraud if we talk.
Top Five Tips to Prevent Fraud
1. Do not give any personal information (name, address, bank
details, email or phone number) to organisations or people before
verifying their credentials.
2 Many frauds start with an email. Remember that banks and
financial institutions will not send you an email asking you to
click on a link and confirm your bank details. Always question
whether an email could be bogus.
3. Destroy and preferably shred receipts with your card details
on and post with your name and address on. Identity fraudsters
don’t need much information in order to be able to clone your
identity.
4 If you have been a victim of fraud, be aware of fraud recovery
fraud. This is when fraudsters pretend to be a lawyer or a law
enforcement officer and tell you they can help you recover the
money you’ve already lost.
5.To report fraud or if you need advice, visit Action Fraud’s website.
Remember
- Don’t let fraudsters get away with it. Even if you don’t lose
money, it is important that you report it to Action Fraud – Your
information can help to root out fraudsters and prevent future
attacks
- Every police force is changing to use Action Fraud as their
fraud and internet crime reporting service – helping free up police
resources to focus on investigations with viable lines of
enquiry
- This central collection of crime reports enables seemingly
unrelated incidents from around the country to be linked through
analysis, helping identify networks of criminals
- The Action Fraud website, Facebook and Twitter pages are a
useful source of up-to-date information and advice on the latest
scams
Top Four Reported Frauds
- Advance fee frauds
- Banking and credit industry fraud
- Online shopping and auctions
- Computer software service fraud
Useful Links
Visit Action Fraud’s
website for further advice and
information.