Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to drive insurance fraud as the number of dodgy claims is on the rise, according to a survey of claims handlers.

One in five (19%) of the claims handlers surveyed across four sectors including medical insurance believed up to a quarter of all claims submitted might be created or altered using AI.

The Financial Conduct Authority has made a call to action as it looks to work with the industry to tackle financial crime.

In a speech delivered at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum keynote seminar, Andrea Bowe, director of the specialist directorate, said the dial was beginning to shift on the fight against fraud but warned “we should be under no illusion about the scale of the problem to fix".

https://www.ftadviser.com/regulation/2024/09/17/fca-we-want-to-partner-with-industry-to-tackle-crime/

Posting voice recordings online could potentially lead to scam attempts being made against family members and friends, a bank is warning.

Voice cloning scams, where fraudsters can imitate a person’s voice by using videos uploaded on social media, could catch many people out, Starling Bank found.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ai-voice-cloning-scam-warning-230100181.html/

The London rental market has become a hub of fraudulent activity, according to one estate agent.

Benham and Reeves report that many London letting agents face significant challenges with tenant screening.

Last month the estate agent encountered issues such as forged passports, digitally altered documents, and undeclared CCJs.

https://www.property118.com/london-rental-market-faces-surge-in-fraud/

Burnley Council has issued a warning after a scam text message has been circulating.

A council spokesperson said a scam text message leads to a replica payment page, asking people to pay a non-existent parking fine.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/warning-issued-scammers-try-steal-040000743.html

Treasury-based commissioner will work closely with officials and ministers across government, including in DHSC and Public Sector Fraud Authority.

The Treasury is offering a salary of £84,000 for the first Covid counter-fraud commissioner, a role Labour promised to introduce in its election manifesto.

https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/covid-corruption-commissioner-tsar-job-advert-84k-salary-treasury

Tijs Broeke, Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, has called for every police officer to be trained in providing advice and support to victims of fraud.

Speaking at the City of London Police Authority Board Dinner where police, business leaders, and security personnel attended, Mr Broeke said, “If local police officers don’t know how to deal with the highest volume crime type in the country, we must ask ourselves how can a victim who has just lost £100 through courier fraud feel supported?”

https://www.citymatters.london/city-of-london-policing-head-calls-for-every-officer-to-be-trained-in-supporting-fraud-victims/

A recent High Court of England and Wales decision shows that the English courts are willing to interpret procedural service rules under the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) pragmatically to facilitate justice for victims of crypto fraud, an expert has said.

In Tai Mo Shan Ltd v Persons Unknown, the court granted an application to serve a claim, which sought to enforce a New York judgment relating to a cryptocurrency fraud, outside of the jurisdiction of England and Wales and by way of transmission of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

https://www.pinsentmasons.com/en-gb/out-law/news/high-court-pragmatic-approach-protect-crypto-fraud-victims

Head points to team's "continued determination" against fraudsters.

Allianz UK has reported a significant rise in fraudulent claims, particularly involving noise-induced hearing loss and fake businesses, during the first half of 2024. The increase in fraud detection has allowed the insurer to save £37.7 million in the half-year, with a notable portion stemming from casualty fraud cases, especially major loss fraud.

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/claims/allianz-uk-outlines-fraudulent-insurance-claims-trends-504476.aspx

The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has said it will scale back mandatory fraud compensation despite a surge in APP scams.

The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has confirmed it intends to slash the maximum amount of fraud compensation banks and payment providers will have to pay out to scam victims.

Under its original plans, which were set to come into force from 7 October, the PSR was going to bring in a mandatory pay-out limit to reimburse the losses of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud victims. This maximum would have covered any losses up to a total of £415,000.