The Metropolitan Police has joined the national ‘Action Fraud’ scheme that is designed to improve investigations across the UK.
Launched by the National Fraud Authority, the government agency, and run in association with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), ‘Action Fraud’ reports, collates and investigates referrals.
The Metropolitan Police is the latest force to join the scheme, which sees every allegation reported to ‘Action Fraud’ given a reference number to assist the NFIB develop its intelligence into fraudsters, while also enabling better fraud prevention and education.
Detective Superintendent Dave Clark, the director of the NFIB, claims ‘Action Fraud’ can help to “shine a light” on the criminal act of fraud and the addition of the Metropolitan Police is a “crucial addition” to the scheme.
The inclusion of the Metropolitan Police further extends the network of intelligence gathered by ‘Action Fraud’, which includes information from government departments, financial institutions and large organisations, and information will be sent to other police forces when there is actionable intelligence to pursue.
D/Supt Clark said: “From now on fraud reports from across London will be fed directly into Action Fraud and from there into the NFIB, where they will be analysed and used to pin point repeat and significant offenders and lead police officers directly to the fraudster’s front door.
“The reports will also help shape the wider intelligence picture that is identifying emerging threats and making the UK more resistant to the threat posed by fraud.”
