Writing ahead of a long-awaited fraud strategy being published, Home Office minister Lord Hanson says a new squad will use AI to take down ‘scam compounds’ targetting British families
Fraud is Britain’s most pervasive crime.
One in 14 adults, and one in four businesses, are victims. These are not just numbers. They represent families devastated, hard-earned savings lost, and trust shattered in seconds.
As the minister responsible for tackling fraud, I will not tolerate it. Today we’re launching a new Fraud Strategy, which sets out how we will make our country the hardest place for scammers to operate.
At its heart, is a new fraud disruption centre which will start operations next month and take the fight directly to the criminals behind this epidemic. It will bring together experts across policing, GCHQ, banks, mobile networks and tech giants to share data instantly and build a single picture of global fraud networks.
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Backed by over £30 million in funding, the new Centre will identify the accounts, websites and phone numbers organised crime gangs rely on – and will shut them down at scale. Scam texts blocked. Criminal bank accounts frozen. Fraud operations disrupted at source.
And much of it is driven from overseas. Industrial scale “scam compounds”, operating from South East Asia, West Africa and beyond are targeting British families at the click of a button. Call centres where scripts are written, scams are perfected and victims are treated as profit margins.
Criminals have been working across borders for years. It’s time we did the same. With over two-thirds of fraud originating overseas, the Home Secretary and I will drive international action at the Global Fraud Summit in Vienna next week.
We are already working with countries like Nigeria and Vietnam to dismantle scam operations and put fraudsters behind bars. And we will relentlessly pursue new agreements with countries from where British citizens are being targeted.
Because if you steal from hardworking Brits, we will come after you. The same technology criminals have exploited will now also be turned against them.
We will deploy AI to spot fraud patterns faster. We will stop suspicious bank transfers before money leaves your account. We will even use scam-baiting chatbots to trick fraudsters into exposing themselves – while we gather the intelligence needed to bring them to justice.
But this fight is not only about disruption. It is also about decency. As Mirror readers will know, too many victims of fraud feel embarrassed or passed from pillar to post when they report fraud. That will end.
We are introducing a new Fraud Victims Charter to ensure every victim receives swift and effective support, regardless of where they live. For the first time, there will be clear national standards for response times, support and advice on getting money back.
We are also stepping up protection for those most at risk. Using data from the new Report Fraud service, police will identify fraud hotspots and knock on doors with practical advice and install call-blocking devices in vulnerable homes.
Prevention matters just as much as punishment. Fraudsters believe they can hide behind screens and foreign borders. They think this crime is low risk and high reward.
They are wrong. This Strategy will deliver stronger enforcement, smarter technology and faster justice.
My message is clear: if you target the British public, we will track you, disrupt you and shut you down. Britain will be a much tougher place to commit fraud, and a safer place to live, work and do business.