Sat, 22 Nov 2025

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 Fraud victims 'are being failed' by justice system

Only a fraction of fraud reports result in a prosecution, new analysis suggests.

* Only a small fraction of reported cases of fraud result in prosecution, according to new analysis.
* Between 2019 and 2020, there were over 1 million recorded cases of fraud in England and Wales, but fewer than 13,000 cases were prosecuted.
* Victims' charity Victim Support says the criminal justice system fails those affected by fraud.
* The true scale of fraud could be much higher, with an estimated 4.1 million instances between June 2022 and June 2023.
* Many victims do not get reimbursed for their losses, and some may not even report the crime due to fear or lack of trust in authorities.
* One victim, Joan Holdaway, lost £1,000 to an investment scam, but was able to recover some of her money through a bank's reimbursement scheme. No one has been prosecuted in her case.
* Victim Support is calling for improved awareness campaigns and greater cooperation between banks, social media companies, and law enforcement agencies to prevent and investigate fraud.
* The Home Office says it will publish an ambitious fraud strategy in the new year aimed at reducing fraud, targeting offenders, and protecting victims.
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