The work of Trading Standards holds businesses, individuals and manufacturers accountable for the goods and services they offer.

Martin Evans, 48, of Penperlleni, Monmouthshire was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court to 45 months imprisonment for seven offences under the Fraud Act 2006; and 12 months imprisonment for one offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The sentences are to run concurrently. He was taken into custody immediately and will serve half his sentence before being considered eligible for parole.

https://www.abergavennychronicle.com/news/trading-standards-case-sees-penperlleni-man-jailed-for-fraud-622548

With the increased sophistication in fraudulent practices and especially with high value transactions, it is even more important to not only be sure you know who is party to that transaction but to also have a digital forensic trail to support and verify this.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/associate-news/how-a-digital-forensic-trail-can-help-reduce-fraud-when-completing-high-value-transactions

 A solicitor who complained to his bank about a missing transfer of £189,000 has been struck off because the money was never there and he faked various documents to back up his case.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/solicitor-struck-off-for-deception-over-money-that-was-never-missing

 Nation states and hacktivists are cyber threats to law firms in addition to criminals, the government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned.

https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/gchq-nation-states-and-hacktivists-pose-cyber-threat-to-legal-sector

 Yorkshire-based boss of finance company found guilty of fraud, false accounting and forgery after abusing millions of pounds of investors’ money to buy racehorses and fund other businesses.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leeds-finance-boss-sentenced-for-20-million-fraud

 Two financial advisors who committed a series of fraud offences have been jailed following an investigation by Cumbria Constabulary.

The constabulary led the investigation as the company the men worked for when they carried out the frauds – Quintillion Asset Management – was registered in Cumbria.

 Judges will be given greater powers to dismiss lawsuits designed purely to evade scrutiny and stifle freedom of speech through government amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/crackdown-on-criminals-silencing-critics-to-be-added-to-economic-crime-bill

 TSB Bank has called on Meta to make urgent interventions to protect consumers from spiralling levels of fraud with customers at risk of losing hundreds of millions of pounds.

According to current industry projects, consumers could lose up to £250m from Meta platforms in 2023 without action from the tech giant.

https://www.cityam.com/tsb-calls-on-meta-to-make-urgent-interventions-on-fraud-or-consumers-risk-losing-up-to-250m/

 People need to take greater “personal responsibility” to protect themselves against fraudsters, Suella Braverman said.

The Home Secretary highlighted a Government target to reduce fraud by 10% from 2019 levels by the end of 2024, but said that a “culture change” in the public was also needed.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2023/06/14/people-need-to-take-responsibility-for-protecting-against-fraud-says-braverman/

 Figures show marked falls in conviction rates for fraud cases referred by HMRC and DWP.

More than 2,000 people have been prosecuted on suspicion of defrauding different parts of government over the past four years, but numbers are dropping at government's two biggest departments, according to the Cabinet Office.

https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/dwp-hmrc-government-fraud-prosecutions-covid-strikes-blame-chisholm