Action Fraud – now there is a national centre to report fraud

Good news: the police are now rolling out a national centre for reporting fraud. Not only will you no longer have to report a fraud to your local police who are unlikely to have the expertise or the time to deal fully with your complaint but it will also help the police to build up a national picture of the scope of particular frauds. 

It is clear from recent meetings with both the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police that both forces are very keen to get more detailed information, so that they can get a clearer picture about the extent of fraud. Both forces are concerned about the apparent rise of wine investment fraud. 

If you live outside the UK and have a complaint about a UK company this can also be made through Action Fraud. There will be a translation service.

The site also gives advice on how to avoid being defrauded and news on the latest frauds.


If you have a genuine complaint about a wine investment company I urge you to use this new service.

**

Extracts from the new site:    

Action Fraud is the new place for you to find out about fraud.

Action Fraud is the UK’s national fraud reporting centre. If you’ve been scammed, ripped off or conned, there is something you can do about it. Speak to us.

If online shopping fraud has cost you money, call us now. If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, please get in touch. We can beat fraud if we talk.

Early recognition of fraud can be vital, so no matter whether you think you’ve been a victim of fraud or you just want to know how to protect yourself, this is the place to start.

Action Fraud is a central point of contact to call and get help if you’ve been a victim of fraud.'

Call 0300 123 2040  or you can submit a report on-line through the Action Fraud site.

Call centre opening hours: 

Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm

Saturday: 9am to 4pm

Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm

Call 0300 123 2040

'Welcome to the Action Fraud reporting form

How your report will be used

 The Action Fraud service is a new service for UK citizens. Its aim is to make the process of reporting fraud easier. By reporting a fraud, you are giving anti-fraud agencies vital information that they need to protect you and others from fraudsters. At the same time you could also help to bring the offenders to justice.

Action Fraud refers all cases of fraud to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau which is run by the police service. Although each report cannot be investigated individually, the information you provide will aid the police to build up a national picture of fraud. This will help make the UK a more hostile place for fraudsters to operate in and keep other potential victims safe.

In some cases the police may want to contact you for further details. It is therefore important that you keep any relevant information about the fraud.

If you would like, you can also choose to have your details provided to Victim Support, a national charity that helps those affected by crime. If you take up this option, you will then be contacted by someone from the charity and offered free and confidential emotional support and practical help.

You can receive feedback on how to protect yourself from fraud and you may also register for a regular Newsletter which will provide information on how the data collected by Action Fraud has helped in making the UK a safer place.'

See also article by Julia Harding MW on Jancis Robinson's site here.