Environment Agency and partners worked together to secure the arrests following an extensive investigation.

Two men were arrested for fraud and money laundering recently (Wednesday 12 March) as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal recycling export paperwork.

Officers from the Environment Agency and North West Regional Organised Crime Unit worked together to secure the arrests and custody of the suspects following an extensive investigation which found packaging export notes, used by law-biding firms exporting waste to cover recycling costs, were unlawfully sold for £747,000.

A 45-year-old man was arrested at a property in Rusholme, while a 43-year-old man was detained in Stretford. Both have now been interviewed and released on bail, while evidence gathered by the Environment Agency during the arrests will support the next part of their investigation.

Vernon Smith, Acting Deputy Director for Environmental Markets and Regulation at the Environment Agency, recently said:

Fraud in the recycling industry is waste crime. It undercuts legitimate businesses investing in growth in the circular economy, impacting the environment we are striving to protect. The Environment Agency is determined to clamp down on it.

Working with the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, these arrests are a significant milestone for our extensive investigation. Our teams will now examine the evidence gathered to bring these individuals to justice and end their fraudulent activities once and for all.

Detective Chief Inspector Zoe Russo from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit added:

These arrests highlight the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling organised crime. We are committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks involved in waste crime and other illegal activities. The evidence collected will be crucial in ensuring those responsible are held accountable.

The Packaging Producer Responsibility Regulations were introduced to oblige the producers of waste packaging such as plastic, glass and cardboard to contribute towards the financial cost of recycling and disposing of the waste.

Businesses that meet the criteria are required to prove they have made a financial contribution by purchasing credits, known as Packaging Export Recovery Notes, from waste reprocessors or exporters. However, the credits have a monetary value which means organised criminal gangs can look to infiltrate the sector and engage in high value fraud and money laundering.

This investigation forms part of large-scale activity by the Environment Agency to stamp out fraud and money laundering in the waste sector. If a member of the public has any information that may assist with this investigation, they should call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour hotline on 0800 807060. They can also report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or their website

https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/Manchester+pair+arrested+over+recycling+fraud+14032025132500?open

Ted Datta from Moody’s explains how to strengthen fraud defences with innovation and collaboration

In an era where fraud schemes are increasingly sophisticated and prevalent, the need for businesses, banks, and government teams to shore up defences has never been greater. In the UK, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are essential in bringing together stakeholders, including big tech companies, banks, fintech firms, credit lenders, and government departments to collaborate on addressing fraud and financial crime more widely.

Why the emphasis on collaboration? The financial impacts of fraud are significant to both government and commercial revenues and individual victims. Fraud losses are estimated at more than $1 trillion globally each year, so PPPs have a crucial role to play in tackling scams and reducing losses.

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/strengthening-fraud-defences-with-innovation/189847/

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has signed Clue Computing to provide a cloud based case management system for its investigations.

They have agreed on a £4.5 million contract – duration unspecified – for the company to provide an off-the-shelf but configurable solution based in the UK. The latter point responds to the SFO’s need to return the information in the UK due to the sensitivity of the cases it handles.

The contract award notice says the company “will be responsible for the technical configuration and implementation of the solution”, which will have the flexibility and adaptability to “permit SFO to maintain resilience against inevitable change”.

Clue is a specialist in investigation and intelligence management software, with existing customers including the Department for Education and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate

https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/serious-fraud-office-signs-clue-for-case-management-system/

422 people have been arrested in a UK-wide campaign against fraud, coordinated by the National Economic Crime Centre and City of London Police.

The activity, which was the fourth iteration of the multi-agency Operation Henhouse, ran across February 2025 and resulted in:

• 422 arrests
• 155 voluntary interviews
• 362 cease and desist notices
• account freezing orders against £3.9m
• seizures of cash and assets worth £7.5m

Fraud is the most prevalent crime in the UK, causing victims long-lasting emotional and psychological harm as well as financial loss. It accounts for approximately 41% of all crime reports, and costs an estimated £6.8bn each year in England and Wales alone.

Every single UK police force and Regional Organised Crime Unit took part in the operation. They were joined by national agencies including the Financial Conduct Authority, National Crime Agency and National Trading Standards.

https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/operation-henhouse-422-arrests-and-7-5m-seized-in-national-crackdown-on-fraud

Social media and email account hacking reports jumped last year, according to Action Fraud data.

A total of 35,434 reports were made to the fraud and cybercrime reporting service in 2024, compared with 22,530 reports made in 2023.

Action Fraud has launched a campaign, supported by Meta, to encourage people to take an extra step of online protection by enabling two-step verification for each online account they have.

The most common motives for social media hacking were either investment fraud, ticket fraud or theft of the targeted account, Action Fraud said.

Adam Mercer, deputy director of Action Fraud, said: “As social media and email account hacking remains the most reported cybercrime this year, this Action Fraud campaign marks a critical issue for everyone who has online accounts.”

David Agranovich, security policy director, Meta, said: “Scammers are relentless and continuously evolving their tactics to try to evade detection, which is why we’re constantly working on new ways to keep people safe while keeping bad actors out.

“Two-factor authentication (2FA) is one crucial example of how people can add an extra layer of security to their Meta accounts, to help reduce the risk of scammers accessing your accounts.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/warning-issued-social-media-email-000100974.html

A reverend whose house was sold without him knowing has had the property returned to him nearly four years on, after a family was ordered to leave.

Mike Hall returned to his Luton home from Wales in 2021 to find someone impersonating him had sold it on for £131,000, after his identity was stolen.

Land Registry eventually put his name back on the title, but when he returned again in 2023 he found a family living there.

At Luton County Court on Monday, Judge Elaine Vignoli granted Mr Hall outright possession of the home in 14 days.

Mr Hall said he was "quite angry about the way in which this has played out", and "quite sad" for both himself and the family living there.

While working in north Wales in 2021, Mr Hall was alerted by neighbours that someone was in his house and all the lights were on.

Mr Hall drove back to Luton and found a new owner carrying out building work.

"I tried my key in the front door, it didn't work and a man opened the front door to me - and the shock of seeing the house completely stripped of furniture, everything was out of the property," he said.

BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme obtained the driving licence used to impersonate Mr Hall, details of a bank account set up in his name to receive the proceeds of the sale, and phone recordings of a man claiming to be Mr Hall instructing solicitors to sell the house.

After he reclaimed ownership two years later, a BBC reporter visited the home and spoke to a man and a woman with a young child who had a bogus rental contract.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwygv79n8x1o

Online companionship can be wonderful, but it also has risks. Romance scams target those seeking genuine connections, with fraudsters posing as potential partners to exploit emotions and gain money, gifts, or personal information. Here's what you need to know:
How They Work
Fake Profiles: Scammers create convincing profiles using stolen photos and fabricated details to appear more appealing.
Building Trust: They invest weeks or months building emotional connections, weaving elaborate stories to gain trust.
Financial Requests: Eventually, they'll request money for "emergencies" like medical bills or travel. Once money is sent, they vanish.
How to Protect Yourself
Verify Their Identity: Use reverse image searches to check profile pictures and confirm authenticity.
Be Wary of Financial Requests: Genuine partners won’t pressure you to send money, especially if you’ve never met in person.
Take Your Time: Be cautious of anyone rushing the relationship or declaring love too quickly.
Remember: Never share passwords or personal information over DMs. Trust your instincts—if something feels off, step back and verify. Let's keep online spaces safe for genuine connections!

Are you a large charity?

The Charity Commission for England and Wales, with a strong focus on regulatory matters, has issued an alert to large #charities warning them of upcoming legislation targeting fraud.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 aims to enhance transparency and prevent economic crime.

The ‘failure to prevent fraud offence’ will be implemented on 1 September 2025. after which organisations could be criminally liable if an ‘employee, agent, subsidiary, or other associated person, commits a fraud intending to benefit the organisation and the organisation didn't have reasonable fraud prevention procedures in place’. This is applicable regardless of intent or whether senior members of staff knew it was taking place. Organisations must now ensure they have adequate fraud prevention measures in place or face fines if convicted.

As part of its alert, the Charity Commission also advised that charities read its guidance about internal financial controls.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/internal-financial-controls-for-charities-cc8/internal-financial-controls-for-charities

Individuals aged between 18 and 39 account for almost 75% of reported rental fraud cases, resulting in losses nearing £9m across approximately 5,000 incidents last year, the latest data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) reveals.

In light of these statistics, Propertymark is urging letting agents to be vigilant and proactive in combating rental fraud to protect consumers and themselves.

“By implementing rigorous verification processes, educating clients, and staying informed about the latest scam tactics, agents can significantly reduce the risk of fraud and maintain the integrity of the rental market,” the membership organisation said.

“Rental fraud happens when prospective tenants are tricked into paying an upfront fee to rent a property. However, the property does not exist, has already been rented out, or has been rented to multiple victims,” it added. “Victims will lose the upfront fee they have paid and cannot rent the property they thought they had secured.”

According to Propertymark, fraudsters will often contact their victims online. The adverts will seem genuine and are n accompanied by photos and contact information. In some cases, the victim will view the property in person, but in most cases, the payment is made without a prior viewing.

Action Fraud states that reports peak in September each year as fraudsters target students organising their accommodation for the academic year. Summer holiday lets are also a key target, accounting for 27% of reports in July and August.

https://propertyindustryeye.com/preventative-measures-agents-can-take-to-tackle-rental-fraud/

The City of London Police is investigating a suspected widespread fraud case where a company named the 79th Group is believed to be offering loan notes to investors with a high interest return over a fixed period.

The 79th Group operate in real estate claiming to specialise in the acquisition, management and development of lucrative assets. They offer investment opportunities selling loan notes secured against properties.

https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/news/city-of-london/news/2025/february/79th-group-investment-appeal-for-potential-victims-of-investment-fraud-to-come-forward/