Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) acknowledgement and (b) information about action taken a victim receives following a report to Action Fraud.

Action Fraud is the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, and takes reports on behalf of all police forces in England and Wales. Action Fraud works in conjunction with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB):
both are operated by the City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud. The NFIB analyses Action Fraud crime reports and prepares intelligence packages for police forces to consider for enforcement action. Action Fraud
does not carry out investigative activities. It establishes which law enforcement agency should investigate the crime(s) and disseminates if appropriate.

Victims of crime who report to Action Fraud receive an explanation of Action Fraud’s role, and what next steps will follow their report, including how the NFIB generates crime packages and information for law enforcement
agencies. They will be given a reference number and offered advice on how to protect themselves from being a victim of further fraud.

Following analysis of their crime report, victims will receive an update on what action has been taken. Where their crime has been disseminated to a police force, they will be given a point of contact and crime reference number
for that force. If the information in their report has no viable investigative leads, it is possible that it could still be used to disrupt the enablers of crime (such as blocking websites). Victims will be advised if their information has been used in this way. They will also be informed if there is insufficient information to enable either an investigation or disruption, but in such cases are told that their report will remain on NFIB’s systems and could potentially match against future reports. To date, over 300,000 of these
updates have been sent.