The UK’s chronic shortage of skilled cyber security professionals, highlighted in a recent government report, is a “ticking time bomb” for the industry according to one expert.

https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/uks-cyber-security-skills-gap-a-ticking-time-bomb-for-industry

Around 55 per cent of UK adults are more worried about their finances this summer than they were last year; with 24 per cent turning to credit or loans to fund summer-related spending; the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has revealed as part of a new campaign to help consumers spot and avoid loan fee fraud.

https://thefintechtimes.com/the-fca-warns-of-loan-fee-fraud-risks-as-24-of-uk-consumers-turn-to-loans-to-cover-summer-spending/

Legal professional privilege should not apply in a case where there is a “very good arguable case” that a client used global firm DLA Piper’s services to assist a fraud, the High Court has ruled.

The judgment did not suggest that DLA was knowingly involved in the fraud alleged against Harvey Boulter and his company, Porton Capital Ltd (PCL).

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/high-court-removes-privilege-in-fraud-claim-involving-top-law-firm

A group of criminals have been sentenced after they conspired to obtain 42 fraudulent loan applications, leading to a loss of approximately £1 million to a UK bank.

https://harrowonline.org/2023/07/31/high-stakes-bank-loan-scam-north-london-gang-faces-justice-for-1m-fraud/

Universal Credit claimants who use any type of social media are being warned about how they use it amid a crackdown by the Department of Work and Pensions.

A 2,000 strong DWP team launched last year aiming to crackdown on benefit fraud.

https://www.bicesteradvertiser.net/news/23688768.dwp-universal-credit-claimants-warned-use-social-media/

Piloted in London, the Action Fraud National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (NECVCU) provides victims of fraud and cybercrime with bespoke and specialist advice to help them protect themselves from falling victim again.

Since 2018, it has engaged with almost 350,000 victims and prevented an estimated £2,882,616 being lost to fraud.

https://www.policeprofessional.com/news/specialist-unit-to-support-vulnerable-fraud-victims-rolled-out-across-all-forces/

The cost-of-living crisis is encouraging “opportunistic” personal injury fraud, with “professional enablers” designing “cynical ‘conveyor belt’ processes” to maximise fake or exaggerated injuries, according to a leading law firm.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/professional-enablers-fuelling-opportunistic-personal-injury-fraud

The Work and Pensions Committee (WPC) has launched an inquiry into the collapse of the Norton pension schemes, with the aim of ensuring members of collapsed pension schemes are better protected and supported in the future.

https://pensionsage.com/pa/WPC-launches-inquiry-into-Norton-pension-schemes-and-fraud-compensation-fund.php

A British Asian woman was sentenced to two years in prison for stealing nearly £1 million from her employer to help her online lover who did not exist.

Manjit Singh, 60, from Toxteth, was sentenced by Liverpool Crown Court on Monday (17) after she confessed to eight counts of fraud, according to reports.

https://www.easterneye.biz/romance-fraud-british-asian-woman-jailed-for-stealing-1m-from-employer/

The latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) for the year ending March 2023 show that total crime fell by 15 per cent compared with pre-Covid 19 pandemic levels.

However, despite no significant change in fraud overall, there was a 549 per cent increase in advance fee fraud (from 60,000 to 391,000 offences) compared with the year ending March 2020.

https://www.policeprofessional.com/news/overall-crime-down-but-figures-show-six-fold-increase-in-advance-fee-fraud/