Comments on: What Is The National Fraud Authority Doing For The Fight Against Fraud? http://www.fraudadvice.co.uk/fsa/ Forensic accounting and fraud investigation Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:58:15 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Richard Davies http://www.fraudadvice.co.uk/fsa/comment-page-1/#comment-40 Richard Davies Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:58:15 +0000 http://www.fraudadvice.co.uk/?p=100#comment-40 It's always interesting to get the varying perspectives of delegates at NWFF conferences. The NWFF are keen to understand what people in the North West think about NFA initiatives, so that we can provide constructive feedback, criticism and suggestion to the Authority. To take part in the debate, please register at www.northwestfraudforum.co.uk - the forum link is on the top right hand side of the NWFF home page. It’s always interesting to get the varying perspectives of delegates at NWFF conferences. The NWFF are keen to understand what people in the North West think about NFA initiatives, so that we can provide constructive feedback, criticism and suggestion to the Authority. To take part in the debate, please register at http://www.northwestfraudforum.co.uk – the forum link is on the top right hand side of the NWFF home page.

]]> By: Peter Wilson http://www.fraudadvice.co.uk/fsa/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Peter Wilson Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:09:11 +0000 http://www.fraudadvice.co.uk/?p=100#comment-39 We were pleased to be invited to speak to the North West Fraud Forum at its annual conference in Bolton about the work of the National Fraud Authority. We took the opportunity to talk about the key achievements that the organisation has been delivering in response to the National Fraud Strategy, which we published in March 2009. It has been a busy time for the NFA, with an ongoing campaign to recruit specialist permanent staff for the next stages of the organisation’s delivery, which involves refocusing activity from strategy to delivery. One of the main projects for the organisation and key discussion point at the North West Forum was Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre, which currently is being rolled out regionally. In a recent report published by the NFA in December 2009 entitled ‘A Better Deal for Fraud Victims’, which surveyed the largest number of fraud victims to date in the UK, it was revealing that 91 percent of those interviewed wanted a centralised service to report fraud and receive specialist support. The report also showed that no clear path to reporting had existed, identifying over 15 agencies who would take some report of fraud. It was for these types of reasons why the Government’s National Fraud Review 2006 specifically indicated a central point for reporting should be established. Action Fraud provides such a service. If a person suspects a fraud crime has been committed against them, they can call the Action Fraud contact centre to report where they will receive a crime number and advice. If appropriate they are referred to Victim Support for further help. Although not every crime that is reported will be individually investigated, the information can lead to stopping fraud at its roots. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, based at the City of London Police collates the information reported to Action Fraud to create and provide intelligence packages to police forces to enable them to conduct investigations. As national lead force on fraud, the City of London Police also provides training and support to other forces in fraud investigation. In his article, Mr Jenner cited a perfect example of Action Fraud at work with the discovery of the alleged bogus clothing company through a spurt of reporting to the contact centre. Not all of the work the NFA has carried out in its two years of existence is as public facing as Action Fraud, however, it is no less important. Initiatives with key partners to encourage data and information sharing is vital to all of the counter-fraud community’s activity, as is ensuring we have as accurate a benchmarking process as possible in place (NFA Annual Fraud Indicator) to ensure we can see the trends and know when we have succeeded. Please visit our website www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/nfa to find out more about the work of the NFA or give me a call on 020 3356 1066. Peter Wilson Director of Engagement National Fraud Authority We were pleased to be invited to speak to the North West Fraud Forum at its annual conference in Bolton about the work of the National Fraud Authority. We took the opportunity to talk about the key achievements that the organisation has been delivering in response to the National Fraud Strategy, which we published in March 2009.

It has been a busy time for the NFA, with an ongoing campaign to recruit specialist permanent staff for the next stages of the organisation’s delivery, which involves refocusing activity from strategy to delivery. One of the main projects for the organisation and key discussion point at the North West Forum was Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre, which currently is being rolled out regionally.

In a recent report published by the NFA in December 2009 entitled ‘A Better Deal for Fraud Victims’, which surveyed the largest number of fraud victims to date in the UK, it was revealing that 91 percent of those interviewed wanted a centralised service to report fraud and receive specialist support. The report also showed that no clear path to reporting had existed, identifying over 15 agencies who would take some report of fraud.

It was for these types of reasons why the Government’s National Fraud Review 2006 specifically indicated a central point for reporting should be established. Action Fraud provides such a service. If a person suspects a fraud crime has been committed against them, they can call the Action Fraud contact centre to report where they will receive a crime number and advice. If appropriate they are referred to Victim Support for further help.

Although not every crime that is reported will be individually investigated, the information can lead to stopping fraud at its roots. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, based at the City of London Police collates the information reported to Action Fraud to create and provide intelligence packages to police forces to enable them to conduct investigations.

As national lead force on fraud, the City of London Police also provides training and support to other forces in fraud investigation.

In his article, Mr Jenner cited a perfect example of Action Fraud at work with the discovery of the alleged bogus clothing company through a spurt of reporting to the contact centre.

Not all of the work the NFA has carried out in its two years of existence is as public facing as Action Fraud, however, it is no less important. Initiatives with key partners to encourage data and information sharing is vital to all of the counter-fraud community’s activity, as is ensuring we have as accurate a benchmarking process as possible in place (NFA Annual Fraud Indicator) to ensure we can see the trends and know when we have succeeded.

Please visit our website http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/nfa to find out more about the work of the NFA or give me a call on 020 3356 1066.

Peter Wilson
Director of Engagement
National Fraud Authority

]]>