We do not hold information on the cost of any industry initiatives to counter phone scamming however Ofcom, the police and landline providers are currently working together to reduce the time a caller can stay on the line which makes it much more difficult for criminals to exploit phone lines for fraudulent purposes.<\/p>
Telephone companies and industry bodies work in a number of ways to combat phone scamming, often in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, such as the City of London Police who run the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). The NFIB partners with a number of telecommunications companies and industry wide organisations, including Ofcom to reduce the impact of this crime.<\/p>
This Government takes this issue very seriously and is working with partners across industry and law enforcement to raise awareness and improve the overall response to fraud, including those committed over the phone. This includes work with national and local partners to reduce the likelihood of individuals becoming a victim, or repeat victim, such as our current campaign with Avon and Somerset Police and Neighbourhood Watch aimed at the vulnerable elderly. Through Action Fraud, we also provide information on the latest threats and protective advice.<\/p>
The Fraud Act 2006 established for the first time a single offence of fraud. It makes no distinction in the method used to commit fraud and as such captures fraud committed over the telephone as well as fraud committed in other ways. We keep the effectiveness of legislation under review and have no current plans to make alterations to the Fraud Act.<\/p>
Law enforcement partners, such as the Economic Crime Command of the National Crime Agency and the City of London Police, the lead force for Fraud are engaged in various operations with international connections. For example, the National Crime Agency recently collaborated with the City of London Police on Operation RICO, a major investigation against organised crime groups engaged in investment fraud often conducted over the phone. A coordinated international day of action in February resulted in 110 arrests in the UK, USA, Spain and Serbia, and the seizure of significant assets and cash.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL3440"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-11T14:39:37.053Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fraud"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what review mechanisms are in place to ensure that legislation to combat phone scamming is fit for purpose.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Kennedy of Southwark"} ], "uin" : "HL3439"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167916", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/167916/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We do not hold information on the cost of any industry initiatives to counter phone scamming however Ofcom, the police and landline providers are currently working together to reduce the time a caller can stay on the line which makes it much more difficult for criminals to exploit phone lines for fraudulent purposes.<\/p>
Telephone companies and industry bodies work in a number of ways to combat phone scamming, often in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, such as the City of London Police who run the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). The NFIB partners with a number of telecommunications companies and industry wide organisations, including Ofcom to reduce the impact of this crime.<\/p>
This Government takes this issue very seriously and is working with partners across industry and law enforcement to raise awareness and improve the overall response to fraud, including those committed over the phone. This includes work with national and local partners to reduce the likelihood of individuals becoming a victim, or repeat victim, such as our current campaign with Avon and Somerset Police and Neighbourhood Watch aimed at the vulnerable elderly. Through Action Fraud, we also provide information on the latest threats and protective advice.<\/p>
The Fraud Act 2006 established for the first time a single offence of fraud. It makes no distinction in the method used to commit fraud and as such captures fraud committed over the telephone as well as fraud committed in other ways. We keep the effectiveness of legislation under review and have no current plans to make alterations to the Fraud Act.<\/p>
Law enforcement partners, such as the Economic Crime Command of the National Crime Agency and the City of London Police, the lead force for Fraud are engaged in various operations with international connections. For example, the National Crime Agency recently collaborated with the City of London Police on Operation RICO, a major investigation against organised crime groups engaged in investment fraud often conducted over the phone. A coordinated international day of action in February resulted in 110 arrests in the UK, USA, Spain and Serbia, and the seizure of significant assets and cash.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL3439"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-11T14:39:37.237Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fraud"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what discussions they have had with international partners to help combat phone scamming.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Kennedy of Southwark"} ], "uin" : "HL3440"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/89412", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/89412/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
None.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-09-03T13:39:57.9814063Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-08-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fraud"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, how many Shawcross exercises have been conducted in relation to the SFO's investigations in the last two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/627", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Campbell of Pittenweem"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Fife"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Menzies Campbell"} ], "uin" : "207315"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/76980", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/76980/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) receives a large number of direct complaints each year and in appropriate circumstances the SFO will recommend that the complainants refer the matter to another agency.<\/p>
In 2013-14, the SFO referred 2,945 complainants to Action Fraud or to the police. The SFO does not record how many of these complaints relate to UK companies only.<\/p>
The table below shows the number of formal referrals made by the SFO during 2013-14to police forces, regulators and to agencies in the US and in other jurisdictions . The SFO does not record whether referrals relate to UK companies only.<\/p>
| <\/td> | Police<\/strong><\/p><\/td> UK regulator<\/strong><\/p><\/td> US agency<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Overseas agency<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2013-14<\/p><\/td> 26<\/p><\/td> 9<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td><\/tr> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robert Buckland"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-21T14:24:21.1425713Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fraud"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions in 2013-14 the Serious Fraud Office either referred or recommended that a complainant refer a case of alleged fraud, bribery or money-laundering by a UK company to (a) another police force, (b) another UK regulator, (c) an agency in the US and (d) an agency in an overseas jurisdiction other than the US.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"}
], "uin" : "205180"}
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}
|