Credit, collections & insolvency news
According to a global survey by PwC, fraudsters have targeted two-thirds of British companies in the past two years, with cyberattacks the most common crime. In Britain, 64% of big corporations had been affected by fraud and other economic crimes over the period, 10% up on two years ago and significantly above the global average,…
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Risk specialist, Kroll has revealed the results of its latest Global Fraud and Risk Report, showing that organisations around the world are dealing with the rising costs associated with investigating allegations of serious misconduct. The report, based on a survey of over 1,330 senior decision-makers for risk strategy, including CEOs, general counsels, chief compliance officers…
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Digital fraud checks could have significantly reduced the £11.8 billion pounds now estimated to have been lost by the government to fraudulent and erroneous applications for Covid-19 support, according to anti-money laundering specialist, SmartSearch. New figures from the House of Commons library show that fraud and errors involving coronavirus support schemes such as furlough and…
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A Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report has warned that HMRC’s ‘unambitious’ plans for recovering £6 billion in Covid-19 support payments that were paid out through fraud or mistakes could lead to the Government writing off a large sum of taxpayers’ money. In the report, Parliament’s cross-party Public Accounts Committee says that HMRC’s unambitious plans” for…
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The Government’s Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries has announced that fraud will be made a priority offence as part of the Online Safety Bill. Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said” This government said it would legislate to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online while enshrining free speech, and that’s exactly what…
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More than £4.3 billion of Covid loans that may have to be written-off by The Treasury due to fraud and highlighted by the recent resignation of Lord Agnew, could be eclipsed by businesses failing to repay their CBILs and BBLs Covid support loans according to new analysis by regional accountancy and business advisor, Azets. Azets…
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The Treasury Committee has called for additional Government action to combat fraud and scammers as it publishes its report on Economic Crime. The report, which was unanimously agreed by the cross-party Committee of MPs, urges the Government to legislate against online fraudulent adverts and seriously consider whether online giants should reimburse those who fall victim…
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UK Finance is warning UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be alert for scams targeting their companies. As many businesses start the new year with people working from home, fraudsters will try to take advantage of opportunities to steal money where firms might be working outside of their normal processes. Criminals often attempt to impersonate a chief executive, senior manager, or supplier to try and convince staff to make an urgent payment…
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HMRC has ramped up efforts to recoup £1 billion from fraudulent or incorrect furlough pay-outs, with more than 26,500 investigations into potentially fraudulent pandemic support claims launched over the past eight months. The level of fraud and error in the benefit system almost doubled during the pandemic from what was already the highest rate since…
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New research from Mazars has shown that prosecutions of company directors for fraud tripled over the past year amid a crackdown on coronavirus loan scams, with 122 company directors convicted of crimes during the year to the end of September — a rise from 40 during the previous 12 months. The total points to a…
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Three directors have been banned following investigations which found that nearly £100,000 worth of Bounce Back loans had been inappropriately applied for, or misused following investigations by the Insolvency Service. The Bounce Back Loan (BBL) scheme ran to March 2021 and provided loans of up £50,000 to help businesses survive the impact of the Covid-19…
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