Thread by @BJcounterfraud

Thank you @ruskin147. I couldn't agree more. As a member of a firm which regularly acts for victims of #fraud including the #NHS and the #charity and public sectors the failure to recognise the impact of fraud on both individuals and organisations is utter disdain. A thread 1/15

https://twitter.com/ruskin147/status/1490363981885849603

These are not just statistics, they are crimes affecting real people, their lives and livelihoods. It's not difficult to tell the truth, and say how you are addressing the issue and helping prevent fraud and not make light of the 5.1 million fraud offences in y/e September 2021

which were reported by the ONS in January. This is an increase of 36% compared with y/e September 2019, with fraudsters taking advantage of changes in behaviour during Covid-19 - with more remote working and online interaction. There were also 1.9 million computer misuse offences

an increase of 89% over the same period. Action Fraud announced a 27% rise in "reported" fraud and cybercrime; with a 49% increase reported by UK Finance via the NFIB, with investment fraud up 42%. The stats don't lie - this crime has reached epidemic proportions.

Add to that personal data theft through hacking up by 161% through compromised email or social media accounts, the volumes reported are staggering - and despite this, much fraud goes unreported. To dismiss wider society's experience of fraud is wilfully negligent.

Lord Agnew's resignation at the Govt.'s utter failure to address fraud speaks volumes. That's before we start addressing the issue of #Bounceback loans or #furlough fraud which were funded by the public purse. Reassurances about not writing off the alleged £4.3bn seem hollow.

The questions seems to be whether the cabinet's continuation of #partygate denials and obfuscation was to distract from the Treasury Report on Financial Crime published on 2/2/22? It notes that fraud and financial crime were continuing to rise "at an alarming rate".

Its impact,made light of in the interview,"damages the reputation of the UK as a pre-eminent financial centre" and even threatens "national security" according to the National Crime Agency. The erosion of honesty in the political discourse on #crime, simply fuels corrupt conduct.

The teetering steps towards corporate criminal liability, and the imposition of liability for online harm caused by platforms which don't act to prevent fraud, are too slow, and ineffective. Essential reform of Companies House and transparency of overseas entities are needed too.

But they are being delayed and unlikely to lead to the desired transformative change called for by many experienced practitioners, lobby groups and influential independent voices such as @Fraud_Panel .

At the very least the Govt. needs to step up to the mark and be honest with people about the true impact of fraud and financial crime and not be dismissive.

If they don't, business and consumer confidence will suffer due to their political short-sightedness. We also need to see measurable progress on prevention and a true reduction in the fraud crime figures, in a continuing trend.

Rather than fraud being part of an act of smoke and mirrors political gamesmanship to save the PM's reputation, perhaps we can see a more responsible and honest appraisal of the current challenges facing organisations when hit with fraud or computer crime.

At a time when we face a time of further financial crisis, with significant increases in cost of living, rising interest rates, and supply chain challenges this intellectually lazy approach to a well established social menace is ill-timed.

The doorstep challenge will be to convince the British people it is protecting its money as any responsible custodian should. Any government that does not recognise the reality of the true crime figures nor acts to protect its citizens from fraud should be held to account -ENDS-