Public Sector

The number of company directors convicted of criminal activity during the pandemic has risen 205 per cent to 122 in the year to 30 September, up from just 40 for the same period to 30 September of last year.

https://www.cityam.com/prosecutions-of-company-directors-jump-by-205-per-cent-as-crackdown-on-covid-fraud-begins/

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a consultation on plans to increase the Fraud Compensation Levy (FCL) ceiling for the levy year 2022/23 onwards.

https://pensionsage.com/pa/DWP-launches-consultation-to-raise-fraud-compensation-levy-celing.php

A chief fire officer has been cleared of fraud after making a winning £500 bid on one of his own brigade’s Land Rovers in an auction he was running.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/crime/fire-chief-cleared-of-fraud-after-winning-his-own-brigades-land-rover-with-ps500-auction-bid-3429857

The Government has taken steps to use an anti-fraud technology used in the financial services sector.

https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/cabinet-office-signs-for-anti-fraud-technology/

A Wolverhampton councillor falsely claimed a £10,000 business grant during the Covid pandemic for his wife - while the pizza restaurant she ran sat ‘filthy’ and ‘boarded up’ - a court heard.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/crime/2021/10/18/councillor-falsely-claimed-10000-for-wifes-boarded-up-pizza-restaurant/

Police have arrested a man following a Mail on Sunday investigation into the sale of official NHS vaccine passports to jab refuseniks.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/man-23-arrested-over-sale-of-nhs-vaccine-passports-to-jab-refuseniks/ar-AAPklml?ocid=st

The Depatrtment for Work and pensions is to check social media and bank accounts in a bid to detect benefit fraud.

https://www.kentlive.news/news/uk-world-news/dwp-check-your-bank-social-5938075?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) officers are set to trawl through social media to catch benefit fraudsters. Investigators will also check for those who may have received overpayments by accessing bank account data.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/dwp-trawl-social-media-bank-21562099?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

A senior nurse at Craigavon Area Hospital, who swindled more than £10,000 from the Southern Health Trust and then forged a reference to get a top nursing home job, will be in jail for the next seven months.

https://armaghi.com/news/craigavon-news/senior-nurse-at-craigavon-hospital-swindled-more-than-10000-from-southern-trust/143811

A former Staffordshire police officer who pretended to have attended London Pride has pleaded guilty to fraud and data protection offences.