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| National strategy to tackle fraud | National strategy to tackle fraud |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A national crackdown on fraud, which is said to cost the UK £14 billion a year, is to be launched by the government. | A national crackdown on fraud, which is said to cost the UK £14 billion a year, is to be launched by the government. |
| The three-year National Fraud Strategy, the first of its kind, is aimed at protecting consumers and businesses. | The three-year National Fraud Strategy, the first of its kind, is aimed at protecting consumers and businesses. |
| A national fraud reporting centre and new legal powers for prosecutors and crown courts are among the initiatives. | A national fraud reporting centre and new legal powers for prosecutors and crown courts are among the initiatives. |
| Attorney General Baroness Scotland said fraud cost every person £231 per year and the strategy would create a more "hostile environment for fraudsters". | Attorney General Baroness Scotland said fraud cost every person £231 per year and the strategy would create a more "hostile environment for fraudsters". |
| The strategy was developed by the newly-established National Fraud Strategic Authority (NFSA), an executive agency of the Attorney General's Office, which will co-ordinate counter-fraud activity. | The strategy was developed by the newly-established National Fraud Strategic Authority (NFSA), an executive agency of the Attorney General's Office, which will co-ordinate counter-fraud activity. |
| Sandra Quinn, chief executive of the National Fraud Strategic Authority, said that at the moment there was nowhere central for people to go and report fraud. | Sandra Quinn, chief executive of the National Fraud Strategic Authority, said that at the moment there was nowhere central for people to go and report fraud. |
| Livelihoods and even lives have been lost as a consequence of fraud Baroness Scotland | Livelihoods and even lives have been lost as a consequence of fraud Baroness Scotland |
| "People will be able to call or e-mail the centre which will also receive information from businesses including banks," she said. | "People will be able to call or e-mail the centre which will also receive information from businesses including banks," she said. |
| "There is a lot of organised fraud out there and often it is reasonably small amounts of money but it's being done thousands of times." | "There is a lot of organised fraud out there and often it is reasonably small amounts of money but it's being done thousands of times." |
| She added that crown courts would be given extra powers - including the ability to bar solicitors and estate agents from working if they have been convicted of fraud. | She added that crown courts would be given extra powers - including the ability to bar solicitors and estate agents from working if they have been convicted of fraud. |
| "Courts will also be able to order compensation to be paid on a wider scale," she said. | "Courts will also be able to order compensation to be paid on a wider scale," she said. |
| "At the moment a victim has to be named individually in court to get compensation and that will change." | "At the moment a victim has to be named individually in court to get compensation and that will change." |
| Livelihoods lost | Livelihoods lost |
| Baroness Scotland said the strategy represented an "emphatic response" from the government to the notion of fraud as a "victimless crime". | Baroness Scotland said the strategy represented an "emphatic response" from the government to the notion of fraud as a "victimless crime". |
| "I am very aware of the financial and personal misery frauds, such as e-mail scams, identity theft, mortgage and credit card fraud, through to Ponzi schemes and share sale frauds, can inflict on consumers and businesses," she said. | "I am very aware of the financial and personal misery frauds, such as e-mail scams, identity theft, mortgage and credit card fraud, through to Ponzi schemes and share sale frauds, can inflict on consumers and businesses," she said. |
| "Livelihoods and even lives have been lost as a consequence of fraud and we are working to improve the support available to people and businesses to make it tougher to defraud them." | "Livelihoods and even lives have been lost as a consequence of fraud and we are working to improve the support available to people and businesses to make it tougher to defraud them." |
| A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment scheme which involves paying investors from money invested by others rather than real profits. | |
| New guidelines for plea agreements in complex or serious fraud cases were published on Wednesday. | New guidelines for plea agreements in complex or serious fraud cases were published on Wednesday. |
| The rules, which come in to force on 5 May, will allow prosecutors to make deals with defendants in the hope of avoiding long and expensive trials. | The rules, which come in to force on 5 May, will allow prosecutors to make deals with defendants in the hope of avoiding long and expensive trials. |
| Prosecutors would be able to negotiate with alleged fraudsters about what they were prepared to admit to. | Prosecutors would be able to negotiate with alleged fraudsters about what they were prepared to admit to. |
| The fraudster would be allowed to plead guilty to a less serious charge if Crown lawyers believed they would still get an "adequate" sentence. | The fraudster would be allowed to plead guilty to a less serious charge if Crown lawyers believed they would still get an "adequate" sentence. |