By PAUL O’DONOGHUE, Senior Correspondent
UK officials have formally launched ‘Report Fraud’, a new national service aimed at changing how victims of fraud and cybercrime contact police.
The system provides a single national reporting, triage and intelligence platform for financial crimes.
Under Report Fraud, victims who submit reports will receive updates when their information supports an investigation. Previously, victims often received only a crime reference number and little further contact.
“Through the new service, intelligence will be assessed and disseminated across forces,” the City of London Police said.
“Serious and complex cases will be identified for specialist investigation. And victims will be directed into a consistent national standard of care and support.”
The system seeks to build public confidence in law enforcement’s response to fraud. Fraud and cybercrime are now the most common crime types in the UK. Together, they account for about half of all recorded offences and cost the economy billions of pounds each year.
Pete O’Doherty, commissioner of the City of London Police, said: “Cyber crime and fraud are the crimes most likely to affect people in this country, yet too often victims feel unsure where to turn or what will happen if they make a report. Report Fraud is a landmark step forward.
“The service puts victims first. [It] gives them a clear national front door to policing. And [it] strengthens our ability, and that of every police force, to identify, disrupt and pursue the criminals behind these offences.”
Report Fraud UK launch
The City of London Police, which leads the platform, said the service is now fully operational. Authorities had previously given the public-facing portal a soft launch in December.
Delays to the service reflected efforts to avoid the problems linked to ‘Action Fraud’, its predecessor. Critics widely described that system as not fit for purpose.
The launch follows sustained criticism of the UK’s response to fraud. In 2022, a parliamentary committee called for “a wholesale change in philosophy and practice”. It noted fraud made up 40% of reported crime but received only 2% of police funding.
One key difference with Report Fraud is its analytics platform. The system uses Palantir’s Foundry and services from companies including Microsoft. Police plan to add more advanced tools over time.
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