The number of HMRC investigations into serious tax fraud and avoidance has fallen to the lowest level in six years, new figures show.

Total investigations, known as Code of Practice eight and nine cases, fell from 1,091 in 2022-23 to 480 in 2023-24, according to the Financial Times.

Cop9 probes, which encompass the most serious tax cases such as the Hirst brothers and Bernie Ecclestone, fell from 669 in 2019-19 to 268 in 2023-24.

https://www.cityam.com/hmrc-probes-into-serious-tax-fraud-and-avoidance-fall-to-lowest-level-in-six-years/

Platforms luring drivers with low-cost policies.

Aviva has reported that nearly one-third (30%) of young drivers have unknowingly purchased invalid car insurance from illegal operators on social media platforms, according to a survey of 2,000 drivers in the 17-25 age bracket.

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/auto-motor/aviva-finds-rise-in-ghost-broking-scams-among-young-social-media-users-513305.aspx

Organised crime behind 40% of motor insurance fraud in 2024.

A new report from Direct Line Group (DLG) indicates that organised crime rings account for 40% of motor insurance fraud in 2024, a significant jump from 25% in 2023. The findings point to increasingly sophisticated schemes, placing motorists and insurers on high alert as fraud levels escalate.

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/claims/there-is-an-epidemic-of-criminals-committing-insurance-fraud-513105.aspx

New asset confiscation enforcement team and upgrade to SFO’s disclosure technology outlined in the budget in a bid to crackdown on fraud says Attorney General.

• Serious Fraud Office to receive additional funding to create a new team to improve ability to seize assets and returns to taxpayers and upgrade disclosure capabilities
• Additional funding will be provided to make improvements to SFO’s case management system

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fraud-crackdown-as-government-provides-funding-to-sfo

Big businesses have nine months to implement fraud prevention procedures, with the Serious Fraud Office director warning that “time is now running short for corporations to get their house in order”.

Today, the Home Office published its guidelines on the offence of failure to prevent fraud.

https://www.cityam.com/get-your-house-in-order-says-sfo-boss-as-corporate-fraud-countdown-begins/

Action Fraud, the National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre, is reminding people that if they have been contacted out of the blue about their pension, it is probably a scam.

In 2023, there were 559 reports of pension fraud with over £17.7 million lost. The average loss per person was £46,959.

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/news-campaigns/news/2024/nov/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-pension-fraud

In this series, CSW provides a guide to professions and functions across the civil service. Each briefing looks at a different group, offering a glimpse at what they do and how they work with other parts of government.

What do they do? Currently, the majority of officials working in counter fraud are investigators. However, since the launch of the profession in 2018, new pathways have been developed, supported by learning and development programmes, in areas such as assessment, measurement and leadership.

https://www.civilserviceworld.com//in-depth/article/a-guide-to-the-counterfraud-profession-and-function

A new partnership has been announced to recruit, train and develop exceptional new detectives, dedicated to protecting the nation from economic crime – including fraud and cybercrime.

This new stream of Police Now’s National Detective Programme will pilot in March 2025 in the City of London Police, the national lead police force for this specialist area of policing.

https://emergencyservicestimes.com/2024/11/05/new-graduate-training-partnership-to-tackle-fraud-and-economic-crime/

UK authorities tasked with preventing fraud "seem not to care" about the people caught up by the fraud, MPs have been told.

At a summit held by the all-party parliamentary group on investment fraud and fairer financial services yesterday (October 31) in Portcullis House, Margaret Snowdon OBE was scathing about the lack of joined-up thinking between various UK authorities and a lack of co-ordination in pursuing the criminals.

https://www.ftadviser.com/your-industry/2024/11/01/authorities-are-treating-victims-of-fraud-like-criminals-mps-told/

A new car insurance update will crack down on measures that 'increase the cost of premiums for honest drivers'. A crackdown from the Labour Party government will protect motorists, road users and drivers, it is hoped, amid a spate of fraudulent car insurance claims.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) is currently investigating an eye watering and staggering 6,000 suspected fraudulent motor insurance claims, which include cash for crash scams. A new insurance fraud charter was announced at the latest Joint Fraud Taskforce with Lord David Hanson, Minister of State at the Home Office with Responsibility for Fraud, saying this week: "Fraud is an appalling crime, and we are determined to crack down on these callous criminals.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsbirmingham/new-uk-car-insurance-crackdown-means-honest-drivers-will-be-protected/ar-AA1sTPti?ocid=BingNewsSerp